Catholic Bishop Accused of Stealing $250,000

The Vatican has accepted the resignation of a Catholic bishop in San Diego who was arrested on suspicion of stealing $250,000 from his congregation, officials announced Tuesday.

Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta, who has led the city’s small Chaldean Catholic community since 2017, pleaded not guilty on Monday to 16 counts of embezzlement and money laundering, according to local media reports.

San Diego Deputy District Attorney Joel Madero said the alleged crimes occurred in 2024 and were brought to light by a church employee who detected missing funds. The matter was subsequently reported to authorities, KGTV, a local ABC affiliate, reported.

Hana Shaleta was arrested on March 5 at San Diego International Airport while attempting to leave the United States, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.

At Monday’s court hearing, the bishop’s attorney said his client had been planning a previously scheduled trip to Germany.