The Vatican announced Tuesday that Pope Leo XIV has approved the resignation of a California bishop who was taken into custody on financial crime allegations.
Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta of the Chaldean Catholic diocese in San Diego submitted his resignation, which the Pope formally accepted according to the Holy See’s daily announcement.
Law enforcement officials with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office detained Shaleta on March 5 while he was at the city’s international airport, apparently attempting to depart the United States. Authorities moved forward with the arrest after receiving testimony and evidence from a member of his congregation alleging financial misconduct within the church.
The 69-year-old bishop faces eight criminal charges including embezzlement, money laundering, and serious white-collar offenses. Officials set his bond at $125,000.
Attempts to reach St. Peter Chaldean Church, where Shaleta served, for a statement or legal representation contact were unsuccessful.
According to Vatican sources in Washington, the Pope actually approved Shaleta’s resignation back in February when it was first submitted, but officials delayed the public announcement until Tuesday. The Holy See reportedly held off on making the news public to avoid any interference with the ongoing criminal investigation.
The Vatican has appointed Bishop Saad Hanna Sirop to serve as interim administrator for the diocese.
Shaleta received his ordination as a Chaldean Catholic priest in Detroit in 1984 and was appointed to lead the San Diego eastern rite Catholic community in 2017.
