Vatican Removes San Diego Bishop Over $250,000 Church Fraud

The Vatican has accepted the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta of the Chaldean Catholic Diocese of St. Peter the Apostle in San Diego following his arrest on allegations of embezzling $250,000 from his congregation.

Bishop Shaleta, who had served the Chaldean Catholic community since 2017, pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of embezzlement and money laundering during a court hearing on Monday. According to San Diego Deputy District Attorney Joel Madero, the alleged offenses occurred in 2024 and were discovered after a church employee reported missing funds, local broadcaster KGTV reported.

Authorities detained Shaleta on March 5 at San Diego International Airport while he was attempting to leave the United States. His lawyer stated that the bishop had planned to travel to Germany.

Chaldean Catholics, while recognizing the authority of the Pope, follow an Eastern Christian liturgical tradition. Vatican statistics estimate approximately 71,000 Chaldean Catholics reside in the San Diego area.

The arrest and resignation have sent shockwaves through the local religious community, prompting calls for greater transparency and accountability in church financial management.