A California piano teacher who claimed to have a star-studded clientele fled the country as jurors were set to deliver a guilty verdict in his child sex abuse case, according to reports.
John Kaleel, 69, slipped out of the country on October 8, the same day jurors found him guilty of five counts of sexual abuse related to his relationship with a 15-year-old student, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told the Los Angeles Times. His lawyer, Kate Hardie, said she had not seen her client since October 7, the day before the guilty verdict was reached.
The Australian-born piano teacher’s current whereabouts remain unknown.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department referred The Post to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, which did not respond to requests for comment.
According to court records obtained by the outlet, the 15-year-old student was first approached by authorities in 2015 and reported that Kaleel had asked “to take measurements of [the victim’s] body parts, including his penis.” Two years later, Kaleel convinced the teen to masturbate with him during a FaceTime call, telling him “that’s what friends do.” He then invited the teen over to smoke marijuana and engaged in oral sex afterward.
On his website, Kaleel stated that he had taught private piano lessons in Los Angeles for more than 25 years and boasted clients including “Hollywood industry professionals and students who have pursued successful music careers.” The page also featured testimonials from creators of hit television series such as *Mad Men* and *Orange Is the New Black*, who praised Kaleel’s teaching skills with their children. However, the site has since been taken down.
Creators quoted on the website have denied endorsing Kaleel or permitting him to feature their testimonials.
“Mr. Kaleel has always maintained his innocence and that he took his initial plea bargain on the advice of counsel to avoid a harsher sentence should he lose at trial,” Hardie told the outlet.
Following a plea deal, Kaleel was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and served with a deportation order. He successfully challenged his removal in a 2019 appeal.
“He later learned of the immigration consequences when he was placed in an immigration custody facility for eight or nine months and faced removal proceedings,” Hardie added.
Dmitry Gorin, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor, told the outlet that while uncommon, defendants have fled before a verdict to avoid jail time.
“It’s an unusual situation,” Gorin said. “But people’s conduct can be very unpredictable when they’re facing a tremendous time in prison.”
https://nypost.com/2025/10/23/us-news/piano-teacher-for-hollywood-stars-flees-country-after-guilty-verdict-in-child-sex-abuse-trial/