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MALAKOFF, Texas (AP) — Some school districts in the U.S. dropped plans for class pictures after widespread social media posts linked a billionaire with ties toJeffrey Epsteinto the photography giant Lifetouch, which on Friday called the claims "completely false."

The disruption to school picture plans in Texas and elsewhere began after online posts linked Lifetouch, which photographs millions of students each year, to the investment fund manager Apollo Global Management. Apollo's former CEO is billionaire investor Leon Black, who met regularly with Epstein and was advised by Epstein on financial matters.

Black led the company in 2019, when funds managed by Apollo bought Lifetouch's parent company, Shutterfly. The $2.7 billion deal closed in September 2019 — a month after Epstein's death by suicide behind bars as he awaited trial over allegations from federal prosecutors that he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of girls.

Both Lifetouch and Apollo noted that timeline in statements Friday, two days after Lifetouch CEO Ken Murphy said in an Instagram post that neither Black nor any of Apollo's directors or investors ever had any access to Lifetouch photos.

"No Lifetouch executives have ever had any relationship or contact with Epstein and we have never shared student images with any third party, including Apollo," Lifetouch said in its statement Friday. "Apollo and its funds also have no role in Lifetouch's daily operations and have no access to student images."

The canceled school pictures are another ripple effect over the release of millions of files from the Epstein investigation, including documents showing Epstein's regular contacts with CEOs, journalists, scientists and prominent politicians long after a 2008 conviction on sex crimes charges.

In the small Texas town of Malakoff, the local school district canceled a student picture day after several parents told the district they weren't comfortable with Lifetouch photographing their children, spokesperson Katherine Smith said in a statement e-mailed Friday. Several other schools and districts in Texas also canceled or changed plans, as well as a charter school in Arizona, according to Facebook announcements posted by the schools.

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"We decided our students and families would be best served by keeping all of our pictures in-house for the rest of this year, and we are looking at all of our options for the 2026-2027 school year," Smith said.

Parents concerned about Lifetouch included MaKallie Gann, whose children attend schools in Howe, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Dallas. She said she was worried about how much information Lifetouch collects on students.

"Whenever you order the pictures, it has their name. It has the age, of course. It has their grade, their teacher, the school that they're in," she said.

No evidence of Epstein or anyone in his orbit seeing Lifetouch photos has emerged from news organizations' review ofthousands of documents released this monthby the U.S. Department of Justice, though there are at least 1.7 million records.

The review shows Black's name appeared 8,200 times, though that figure likely includes some duplicate records.Black stepped downas Apollo's CEO in March 2021, saying he wanted to focus on his family, health, and "many other interests."

That was two months after a committee of the company's boardissued a reportconcluding that Epstein had advised Black personally on estate planning, tax issues, charitable giving and running his "family office," but provided no services to Apollo or invested in no Apollo funds.

The report also said the review — which Black requested — found "no evidence" that he was involved with Epstein's alleged criminal activities "in any way" or "at any time." ___

Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Also contributing was Associated Press writer Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota.

A gynecologist at Ohio State University whose name appeared in the Epstein files as having received thousands of dollars in payments from the convicted sex offender for consulting work is being investigated by the university, an official there confirmed Friday.

Dr. Mark Landon is cooperating with the investigation, Serena Smith, a spokesperson for OSU's Wexner Medical Center, said in an email.

Landon "has stated he had no knowledge of any criminal activities and his consulting work did not involve any patient care," Smith said.

"We continue to review the situation and have received no information to date that contradicts Dr. Landon's statement," Smith said.

Landon, who chairs OSU's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and specializes in high-risk pregnancies, released a statement on Monday after his name was found in the files.

"I did not provide any clinical care for Jeffrey Epstein or any of his victims," it said. "I was a paid consultant for the New York Strategy Group regarding potential biotech investments from 2001 to 2005. I had no knowledge of any criminal activities; I find them reprehensible and I feel terrible for Epstein's victims."

The New York Strategy Group was Epstein's money management firm, records show.

Landon's consulting work for Epstein's firm was before the financier was branded a registered sex offender in 2008, following a conviction in Florida for procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute.

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In the files, the doctor's name appears in a 2006 email written to Epstein by Darren Indyke, an attorney who worked for him.

"Are we still paying Mark Landon?" it began.

Indyke wrote that "Landon's agreement requires quarterly payments of $30k to be made to Landon on the 15th of January, April, July and October."

"The previous payment made to Landon was for $25,000 and not $30,000. The contract is terminable at will on 15 days' prior notice. Is NYSG to make payment to Landon by January 15th and if so for $25K or $30K? Please advise."

"75 per year," Epstein responded.

The email did not specify what work Landon was paid for.

There are also multiple FedEx receipts in the files for packages sent to Landon at the Wexner Medical Center between 2001 and 2004. They do not indicate what was sent in the packages.

NBC News has reached out to Indyke for comment.

Feb 13 (Reuters) - U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Martin Makary, in an interview on Friday, urged Americans to ‌get vaccinated for measles, as the country faces its ‌largest measles surge in more than three decades.

"When we hear about cases of ​measles in an outbreak in South Carolina, that should serve as a good reminder for parents to make sure that their kids are vaccinated," Makary said during an appearance on MS NOW's "Chris Jansing ‌Reports".

The measles, mumps ⁠and rubella (MMR) two-shot protocol remains recommended at the federal level starting at 12 months of age, with ⁠a second at 4 to 6 years of age.

South Carolina reported 950 measles cases on Friday, including 17 new infections since Tuesday, ​according to ​state health officials. No deaths ​have been reported by the ‌state.

Among those infected, a significant majority of 883 individuals were unvaccinated, and 19 were partially vaccinated with one of the recommended two-dose measles-mumps-rubella vaccines.

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"I think everyone in this administration has been pretty clear that the best way to prevent measles is to ‌get your kid vaccinated against measles," ​Makary added.

Earlier this week, National Institutes of ​Health Director Jay Bhattacharya ​also expressed his support for Americans getting vaccinated ‌against measles.

"The answer is yes," Bhattacharya ​said about the ​vaccines when asked by Reuters about recent outbreaks.

On Sunday, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz also ​urged Americans to ‌take the measles vaccine in an interview with CNN. "Take the ​vaccine, please," he said.

(Reporting by Sneha S K in ​Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)