Pope Leo fires San Diego bishop accused of stealing US$250,000
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican said Tuesday that Pope Leo has approved the resignation of a Catholic bishop from San Diego who is facing criminal charges after authorities accused him of taking about $250,000 from members of his church.
Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta had been leading a small Chaldean Catholic community in San Diego since 2017. According to reports from local media, he appeared in court Monday and entered a not-guilty plea to 16 charges related to embezzlement and money laundering.
San Diego Deputy District Attorney Joel Madero said investigators believe the alleged theft happened in 2024. The issue reportedly came to light after a church employee discovered that funds were missing and alerted officials.
Authorities arrested Hana Shaleta on March 5 at San Diego International Airport. A statement from the sheriff’s office said he was taken into custody while preparing to depart the United States.
During Monday’s hearing, the bishop’s attorney said the trip was planned and that Hana Shaleta had been scheduled to travel to Germany.
Chaldean Catholics are part of the Catholic Church and acknowledge the pope’s authority, but their worship follows an Eastern Christian liturgical tradition. Vatican figures estimate that roughly 71,000 Chaldean Catholics live in the San Diego area.
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