Summary
An Eastern Catholic bishop in California, Chaldean Catholic Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, has submitted his resignation amidst a Vatican-led investigation into allegations of substantial embezzlement and sexual misconduct. The investigation was initiated after parish finance council members at St. Peter’s Chaldean Cathedral in El Cajon, California noticed an unusual banking pattern indicating potential fraud. Parish leaders discovered that rent payments to the social hall were made from the parish’s own financial assistance account, which the bishop claimed he used for personal charitable distributions. An audit revealed other transactions where Shaleta accepted cash on behalf of the parish and reimbursed it from the charity account, including a $7,500 check to Fogo de Chao steakhouse. The total embezzled amount was estimated at around $427,345. This investigation also uncovered other questionable transactions involving potentially up to $1 million in cash. Shaleta claimed these funds were distributed for charity internationally but provided no substantiating paperwork. The Vatican’s Dicastery for Eastern Churches reported the financial fraud allegations in 2025 and referred them to both U.S. apostolic nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre and San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Bishop Shaleta’s resignation remains pending acceptance by the Vatican, with Chaldean Patriarch Cardinal Louis Sako advocating for his retention within Church leadership.
Key Topics
Vatican City, Bishop Shaleta, Embezzlement
