Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation on Tuesday of a Catholic bishop who prosecutors said embezzled at least $270,000 from his Eastern Rite parish outside San Diego.
The bishop, Emanuel Shaleta, 69, of the St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral in El Cajon, Calif., was arrested last Thursday at San Diego International Airport while trying to leave the country, the authorities said.
From behind bars in a California Superior Courtroom on Monday in El Cajon, Bishop Shaleta pleaded not guilty to 16 felony charges, which include embezzlement and money laundering. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, if he is convicted.
The bishop’s resignation was announced in the Vatican’s daily bulletin on Tuesday.
Investigators said that a representative of the parish reported the missing money last August to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, providing financial statements to law enforcement authorities. The bishop stole cash from rent payments for the use of a hall owned by the parish and tried to cover up the embezzlement with other church funds intended to the help the poor, the authorities said.
“That money effectively vanished,” Joel Madero, the county’s deputy district attorney, told reporters after Monday’s court hearing.
Prosecutors argued that Bishop Shaleta, who spent four nights in jail, was a flight risk.
“He was on his way to Germany,” Mr. Madero said. “Given his access to funds, the fact he had over $9,000 in the bag when he was stopped, and the fact that he has these international ties, we’re close to Mexico, I did believe that some bail to ensure that he shows up was appropriate.”
A judge set bail at $125,000 for Bishop Shaleta, who no longer appeared to be in custody as of Tuesday, according to a San Diego County inmate search. He will be required to wear a GPS monitor until his next court appearance in April.
A lawyer for the bishop did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Neither did the Vatican’s embassy in Washington.
During a Mass last month, Bishop Shaleta denied any wrongdoing, saying he had never abused “any penny of the church money.”
“On the contrary, I have done my best to preserve and manage the donations of the church properly,” the bishop said.
The parish stood by the bishop in a statement on its website, asking the Lord to protect him from negative attacks and expressing its solidarity.
In a statement on its website, the Chaldean Diocese of San Diego said some church members had filed complaints in connection to the mishandling of certain diocesan funds and allegations of inappropriate relationships.
“The Apostolic See, with the knowledge and cooperation of the Patriarchate, has conducted thorough investigations in order to ascertain the facts and reach a just and impartial decision, so that no one may be wronged,” the diocese said. “The Patriarchate calls upon all the faithful to respond with prudence, charity and prayer — especially during this sacred season of Great Lent.”
About one million Aramaic-speaking Christians worldwide are part of the Chaldean Catholic Church, which is one of 23 Eastern Rites. Many of them are from Iraq. The Chaldean Catholic Church retains its Eastern identities and traditions, while recognizing the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus.
Neil Vigdor covers breaking news for The Times, with a focus on politics.
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