A 69-year-old Australian piano teacher has been taken into custody in Australia after fleeing the United States amid a high-profile sex abuse verdict.

John Kaleel, who built a career in Los Angeles teaching piano and allegedly promoted himself as having a star-studded clientele, was found guilty earlier this month of five counts of sexual abuse relating to a teenage student.

The offences relate to events dating back to 2013, and include allegations of inappropriate sexual contact , encouraging sexual activity via FaceTime and inviting the minor to allegedly partake in drug use before the abuse.

Mr Kaleel had previously entered a “no contest” plea in 2016 to a charge of committing a lewd act on a teenage student, but later fought to withdraw that plea upon realising the immigration

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