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East County News ServiceMarch 10, 2026 (El Cajon) – The Vatican on Tuesday formally accepted the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, the leader of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle in El Cajon on Jamacha Way, following his arrest last week on felony financial charges.
In a concurrent announcement, the Holy See confirmed the departure of Cardinal Louis Raphaël I Sako, the global head of the Chaldean Catholic Church.
The move comes one day after Shaleta was arraigned on 16 felony counts, including eight counts of embezzlement and eight counts of money laundering.
Shaleta, 69, was arrested on March 5 at San Diego International Airport by San Diego County Sheriff’s Department deputies who alleged he was attempting to leave the country.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Fraud Unit began investigating Shaleta in August 2025 after church officials provided documentation of potential financial irregularities.
According to investigators and reporting by the Catholic news outlet The Pillar, Shaleta is accused of diverting rental income from a church-owned social hall into personal accounts. Investigators allege he embezzled about $270,000 from the St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral.
Court documents and investigative reports also highlighted several personal improprieties, including allegations that Shaleta made multiple visits to a Tijuana brothel, and reports of a shared bank account with a woman in Michigan with whom Shaleta allegedly maintained a close relationship.
There have also been allegations of a lack of oversight. According to The Pillar, Shaleta told his congregation in February that missing funds had been distributed directly to the poor, but investigators say there has been a lack of receipts or documentation to support those claims.
The Holy See's announcement on Tuesday revealed that Shaleta had actually submitted his resignation in February. The Vatican reportedly delayed the public announcement to avoid interfering with the ongoing criminal proceedings.
Also significant is the departure of Cardinal Sako, who said in a statement that he freely offered his resignation to Pope Leo XIV.
Sources told The Pillar that Sako had allegedly attempted to protect Shaleta by suggesting he be transferred to a high-ranking position in Baghdad, and had delayed the process of finding a replacement in El Cajon, though Sako has not publicly addressed those allegations.
Shaleta, who has served the East County community since 2017, has been released on $125,000 bail and awaits further court proceedings.
The Vatican has appointed Bishop Saad Hanna Sirop as the temporary administrator for the eparchy.
Shaleta also faces an aggravated white-collar crime enhancement in addition to the embezzlement and money laundering charges.
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