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DENPASAR, Indonesia, Aug 12, 2008 (AFP) - An Australian man has been arrested for allegedly having sex with underage boys on Indonesia's resort island of Bali, police said Tuesday.
Identified as Philippe Robert Grandfield, the 61-year-old was arrested Saturday on suspicion of paedophilia, police officer Rudolf Rodja said.
"We're still investigating the case. We have discovered so far that seven male teenagers have become his victims," he said.
Police said the retired accountant had lived on the tourist island for 10 years. The children he allegedly abused were students who accepted money for sexual favours.
"Most of them acknowledged that they were all coming to the house to play pool at first. Then after the game they were asked to watch some porno movies before they ended in the bedroom," police spokesman Made Sudirsa said.
A lawyer for the suspect said: "This is not a paedophile case as currently depicted in the media.
"According to Philip's statement, all of the teenagers are actually male prostitutes who are trying to blackmail him over some jealousy issue," lawyer Ketut Suartana said.
If convicted the suspect faces 15 years' jail.
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