VATICAN CITY, March 10 (Reuters) – Pope Leo has accepted the resignation of a Catholic bishop in Santiago who was arrested by local authorities on suspicion of stealing $250,000 from the church, the Vatican announced on Tuesday.
Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta has led the small Chaldean Catholic community in California since 2017. He pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of corruption and money laundering at a hearing on Monday, local media reported.
San Diego Deputy District Attorney Joel Madero said the alleged crimes occurred in 2024 and were reported by a church employee who noticed missing funds, local ABC affiliate KGTV reported.
Hana Shaleta was arrested on March 5 at San Diego International Airport while trying to leave the United States, according to a statement from the Sheriff’s Office.
The bishop’s lawyer said during Monday’s hearing that Hana Shaletta was traveling to Germany as planned.
Chaldean Catholics recognize the authority of the Pope but worship according to Eastern Christian liturgy. According to Vatican statistics, there are approximately 71,000 Chaldean Catholics in Santiago.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Alvise Armellini)
