Pope Leo XIV Accepts Resignation of Bishop Emanuel Shaleta After Arrest on Embezzlement Charges

Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation on Tuesday of Bishop Emanuel Shaleta after prosecutors accused him of embezzling roughly $270,000 from his Chaldean Catholic parish outside San Diego.

Authorities say Shaleta was arrested while attempting to leave the country at San Diego International Airport.

ABC 10News San Diego

The Vatican announced the resignation in its bulletin, and local prosecutors have connected the case to missing parish funds.

The arrest and resignation were reported across U.S. and international outlets, which note both the criminal allegations and the Vatican’s formal acceptance of Shaleta’s departure from the Eparchy.

Prosecutors have charged Shaleta with 16 felony counts, including embezzlement and money laundering, and he pleaded not guilty at a court hearing attended by supporters.

Officials say the charges carry significant prison exposure; in court he entered a not-guilty plea while his legal team disputes the allegations.

Associated Press News

A judge set bail and restrictions intended to reduce flight risk as the case moves forward.

Prosecutors say the allegations center on large monthly rent payments tied to the church’s social hall that allegedly went missing, and they assert Shaleta used other church funds to cover up the shortfalls.

“Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, leader of the Chaldean Catholic community in the San Diego area, found himself at the center of a U”

Clarín

Local authorities described discrepancies in the parish accounting and say cash from rent payments disappeared; prosecutors have characterized some explanations offered as implausible.

Those details form the heart of the criminal case being pursued by the San Diego County district attorney’s office.

The Vatican handled the resignation privately at first: officials say Leo accepted Shaleta’s February resignation but withheld public announcement to avoid interfering with the investigation.

Vatican and embassy statements reported that the resignation had been submitted earlier and that the timing of the public notice was connected to the ongoing police inquiry.

Diario Libre

The Vatican also named a temporary administrator to lead the Eparchy during the transition.

Shaleta is a 69-year-old cleric born in Iraq who has led the local Chaldean community for more than a decade, and the charges have divided the parish with supporters attending his hearing while his defense contends the accusations are false.

“Published Mar 10, 2026 4:34 pm The bishop of a small Chaldean Catholic community in California has resigned and pleaded not guilty to embezzlement and money laundering after prosecutors said he took more than $270,000 from his parish”

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Local reporting and church biographies note his background and long tenure, and both supporters and prosecutors were present in court as the case opened.

myMotherLode

His lawyer has disputed the allegations and said the planned departure did not indicate flight intent.