Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of a bishop from the Chaldean Catholic community in the United States after he was accused of embezzling church assets.
The Vatican provided no explanation for Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta’s resignation from the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle in California, which was announced in a statement on Tuesday.
However, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office reported that Shaleta was apprehended at the airport on March 5 while attempting to flee the country.
He was charged with eight charges of embezzlement, eight counts of money laundering, and one case of “aggravated white-collar crime enhancement.”
He has been under investigation since August, when a church member came forward with charges of embezzlement.
Shaleta was being held in the San Diego Central Jail on a $125,000 bond, according to the sheriff’s office.
According to US media, the bishop is suspected of embezzling $270,000 (232,000 euros). He pleaded not guilty on Monday.
The Chaldean Church is an Eastern Catholic Church with historical roots in Iraq and Iran, headquartered in Baghdad.
Shaleta was born in Iraq in 1956, according to his church’s website, and has lived in the United States since 1987.
The Chaldean diaspora in the United States is among its largest.
The Vatican also announced on Tuesday that the pope has accepted the resignation of the Chaldean Church patriarch, Louis-Raphael Sako.
According to Vatican News, the cardinal discussed retirement with former Pope Francis two years ago, at the age of 75, but was encouraged to stay.
The Vatican saw no connection between the two situations.
