The disgraced San Diego bishop accused of frequenting Mexican brothels and stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his church was officially booted from his role by Pope Leo XIV.
Bishop Emanuel Shaleta’s resignation was accepted by the 70-year-old pontiff on Tuesday, the same day he was released from prison after posting a $125,000 bail, the Vatican announced.
“The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the eparchy of Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego of the Chaldeans, United States of America, presented by Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta,” Vatican officials said in a statement.
Shaleta, who submitted his resignation to Pope Leo in January, was arrested on March 6 at the San Diego International Airport when he attempting to board an international flight to Germany with over $9,000 in his bag, officials claimed.
The 69-year-old prelate was charged with eight counts of embezzlement, eight counts of money laundering and one count of aggravated white collar crime enhancement.
During his arraignment on Monday, Shaleta pleaded not guilty to 15 felony counts of financial crimes but remained behind bars at the San Diego County Jail after he was unable to post bail until Tuesday.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office was first tipped off to Shaleta’s alleged crimes in August 2025, when an official from St. Peter Chaldean Church in El Cajon shared statements and documents that showed the bishop’s unholy workings.
Last month, Catholic news outlet The Pillar reported that the bishop allegedly diverted rental payments from church property for personal use and later covered his tracks with charity funds.
Investigators allegedly found at least $427,000 were missing from church finances with the figure possibly reaching $1 million.
“I have never — in my episcopal life — have I used any penny of the church money,” Shaleta said. “On the contrary: I have done my best to preserve and manage the donations,” also saying, “you are the only one who can believe me and defend my integrity in the church financial matters and in life.”
Along with the missing money, it was revealed that Shaleta regularly traveled to a brothel named the Hong Kong Gentleman’s Club in Tijuana’s Zona Norte red-light district.
A private investigator documented Shaleta using a shuttle “exclusive to the club’s patrons” to visit the Hong Kong Gentlemen’s Club in Tijuana, the outlet reported.
The brothel is located in Tijuana’s Zona Norte red-light district, an area that has long been scrutinized by law enforcement and anti-trafficking organizations.
Shaleta is not accused of any trafficking activity.
Despite the damning allegations, a large crowd of supporters appeared in court for Shaleta, requiring some advocates to sit outside the courtroom.
One of his most vocal supporters was Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, the Patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans.
Sako had called for Shaleta to be placed at the Chaldean Catholic church’s headquarters in Baghdad despite the bishop’s investigation.
In a simultaneous announcement of Shaleta’s resignation, the Vatican also accepted Sako’s resignation as head of the Chaldean Catholic Church.
Shaleta’s position, currently in “sede vacante” or the see being vacant, will be temporarily governed by Bishop Saad Hanna Sirop, the Vatican announced.
Shaleta, an Iraqi native, was ordained a priest by Pope John Paul II in 1984 and has held positions in Detroit and Canada.
In 2017, Pope Francis appointed Shaleta to serve as the eparchial bishop of Saint Peter Apostle of San Diego of the Chaldeans
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