Student Photo Company Loosely Tied To Epstein Files, NJ School District Reviews Contract

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — A Passaic County school district has issued a response after a photography company it works with was found to have a loose, indirect connection to the Epstein files.

Lifetouch is a Minnesota-based photography company specializing in student photography and portraits. It has contracts with several school districts across the country, including in New Jersey, and including Clifton Public Schools.

Lifetouch, as a sole company, does not have any direct connection with any allegations mentioned within the Epstein files. However, it is owned by Shutterfly, which is owned by Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm co-founded by Leon Black.

Black has been under a microscope after he was mentioned in the Epstein files. He resigned from Apollo Global Management’s CEO position in 2021.

While a Senate probe cleared Black of any criminal involvement, the files say that Black had paid Jeffery Epstein roughly $170 million between 2012 and 2017 for “tax and real estate planning.”

However, $12 million of those funds were from previously undisclosed wire transfers, which “lacked a verifiable business purpose,” resulting in a $75 million settlement in 2023, according to the files.

Click here to view the Epstein-Maxwell Files Forensic Reconstruction, where Black is mentioned.

Now, following the millions of heavily redacted Epstein files released by the Department of Justice, parents are up in arms, expressing concern regarding the privacy of their children’s photos and information.

“Lifetouch does not – and has never provided – images to any third party,” said Lifetouch CEO Ken Murphy in a statement. “Lifetouch follows all applicable federal, state, and local data privacy laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act… Lifetouch never shares, sells, or licenses student images to train AI models, including large language models, or facial recognition technology.”

Murphy’s statement adds that Lifetouch itself is not mentioned in the Epstein files, and there are no allegations against it regarding any “illicit activities.”

Clifton Public Schools has announced that it will be reviewing its contract with Lifetouch and has been in contact with several Lifetouch representatives.

The following is a letter to the district from Clifton Public School Assistant Superintendent of Business Ahmed Shehata:

"Dear Clifton Public Schools Community,

We had a thoughtful and productive conversation with the Lifetouch executive team regarding the information that has been circulating. We know many families have been following the recent reporting, and we understand why questions and concerns have been raised.

Lifetouch has provided the District with a formal letter, which we are attaching here for your review. The letter outlines the company’s position and addresses the allegations that have been referenced publicly. At this time, those matters remain allegations. At this time, no evidence has been presented indicating misconduct involving Lifetouch’s operations within our schools or any compromise of student information. Nevertheless, we believe it is appropriate to review the matter carefully and transparently.

In addition to reviewing their written statement, we presented the executive team with a list of specific questions compiled during our meeting, many of which reflected concerns shared by parents and staff. We are awaiting additional responses and documentation, and once we receive and review that information, we will provide a further update to the community.

We want to be clear: we do not dismiss the concerns that have been expressed. When it comes to our students, even the perception of risk matters to families, and we respect that. At the same time, it is our responsibility to make decisions rooted in verified facts, applicable law, and careful review, particularly when those decisions can impact individuals and organizations where no wrongdoing has been established.

Our priority remains the safety, privacy, and well-being of our students. We will continue to approach this matter with transparency, diligence, and care.

Thank you for your continued partnership and trust."