VATICAN CITY, March 10 (Reuters) – Pope Leo has accepted the resignation of a Catholic bishop in San Diego who was arrested by native authorities on suspicion of stealing $250,000 from his congregation, the Vatican introduced on Tuesday.
Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta had led the small Chaldean Catholic group within the California metropolis since 2017.
He pleaded not responsible to 16 counts of embezzlement and cash laundering at a listening to on Monday, in accordance with native media stories.
San Diego Deputy District Lawyer Joel Madero mentioned the alleged crimes came about in 2024 and have been reported by a church worker who observed the lacking funds, in accordance with KGTV, a neighborhood ABC affiliate.
Hana Shaleta was arrested on March 5 at San Diego’s worldwide airport whereas trying to go away the U.S., in accordance with a sheriff’s workplace assertion.
The bishop’s lawyer mentioned at Monday’s listening to that Hana Shaleta was taking a deliberate journey to Germany.
Chaldean Catholics recognise the authority of the pope however worship in accordance with an jap Christian liturgical ceremony. There are about 71,000 Chaldean Catholics in San Diego, in accordance with Vatican statistics.