OAN Staff Addie Davis
6:32 PM – Wednesday, March 11, 2026
The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of San Diego-based Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, who is embroiled in allegations of the misuse of church funds.
This comes in the wake of Shaleta’s arrest on Thursday at the San Diego International Airport — where he was attempting to leave the country — over charges including embezzlement and money laundering, according to the San Diego County Sherriff’s Office.
The former bishop was released on bail on Tuesday, per the California Post.
The Vatican Embassy in Washington confirmed that while the Pope originally accepted the Bishop’s resignation in February, the decision was not formally disclosed until Tuesday.
According to the Associated Press, the Holy See appears to have delayed the announcement to avoid any potential interference with the ongoing law enforcement investigation.
Shaleta is accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from St. Peter Chaldean Church, located in El Cajon, 17 miles east of downtown San Diego.
The Sheriff’s Department stated that they had been contacted by a church representative in August 2025, who “provided a statement and documents showing potential embezzlement from the church.”
Shaleta initially claimed that the cash he had taken was “distributed to charity,” but he did not have any paperwork to confirm it, according to The Pillar. The outlet, which covers the Catholic Church, also reported that Shaleta repeatedly visited the Hong Kong Gentleman’s Club in Tijuana, Mexico, which is a large strip club where prostitution regularly takes place.
The claims come amid a private investigator’s report alleging that a private detective had observed Shaleta parking in a lot “specifically reserved for people going to” the club. He then boarded a shuttle vehicle “exclusive to visitors going to Hong Kong Club.”
Shaleta adamantly denied the allegations to his parish during a February 22nd Mass, claiming he hadn’t “abused any penny of the church money,” AP reported. On Monday, he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Shaleta faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in state prison if convicted of all charges, which include multiple felony counts of embezzling $270,000, in addition to money laundering. Following his recent not-guilty plea, a preliminary hearing has been set for April 27, 2026.
In the interim, the Vatican has appointed Bishop Saad Hanna Sirop as the apostolic administrator to oversee the San Diego eparchy.
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