The Holy See Press Office announced that Leo XIV had accepted the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta from his position as Eparch of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego on March 10, 2026. The bishop had been arrested on March 5 on charges of embezzlement.
Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta, head of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle (San Diego).
In a statement on March 5, the San Diego Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta as he was “attempting to leave the country.” According to several American media outlets, the Chaldean prelate was attempting to travel to Rome.
After his arrest, he was jailed on eight counts of embezzlement, eight counts of money laundering, and one count of aggravated white-collar crime, according to the San Diego sheriff. During the prelate's appearance before a judge on March 9, the prosecutor stated that the bishop had stolen at least $270,000 from the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle in San Diego.
Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta is also accused of attempting to conceal these embezzlements. The Chaldean bishop pleaded not guilty to all charges.
According to The Pillar, in addition to this financial scandal, the Vatican also discovered breaches of his vow of chastity. The bishop, who is originally from Iraq, was reportedly a regular customer at a strip club on the Mexican border and had an ambiguous relationship with a woman.
According to a Vatican source consulted by I.MEDIA, the bishop submitted his resignation to the Pope before his arrest. The Pillar suggests that this may have been the case as early as January, after a canonical investigation was opened.
Cardinal Sako connection?
The Pillar also claims that Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Church, insisted that Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta be transferred to an administrative post in Baghdad following his resignation. A Roman source consulted by I.MEDIA confirmed this. Whether by coincidence or not, Leo XIV also accepted the resignation of the Chaldean patriarch on March 10.
The Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle, which has its seat in San Diego, covers 18 states in the western half of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. It comprises 12 parishes with approximately 70,000 faithful. Its cathedral is located in El Cajon, California.
Following this announcement, the Holy See appointed Bishop Saad Hana Sirop as apostolic administrator of this eparchy.
