Pope Accepts Resignation of Bishop Amid Embezzlement Charges

Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta from the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle in California, following charges of embezzlement.

The Vatican did not provide a specific reason for the resignation. Shaleta was arrested on March 5 by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office while attempting to leave the country.

He faces eight counts of embezzlement, eight counts of money laundering, and one count of aggravated white-collar crime. The investigation began in August after church members reported allegations of embezzlement.

Shaleta, who was born in Iraq in 1956 and moved to the United States in 1987, is accused of embezzling $270,000 (approximately €232,000) and has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is currently being held in San Diego Central Jail with a bail set at $125,000.

The Chaldean Church has historical roots in Iraq and Iran, with its base in Baghdad. The Vatican has made no connection between Shaleta's case and discussions regarding the retirement of Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, which occurred two years ago when Sako turned 75.