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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The bishop of a tiny Chaldean Catholic assemblage successful the San Diego country has resigned amid charges that helium embezzled $270,000 from his parish, Pope Leo XIV announced Tuesday.
Bishop Emanuel Shaleta pleaded not blameworthy to 17 felony charges, including wealth laundering, during a proceeding attended by galore of his supporters.
Shaleta, 69, is accused of embezzling from the St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral successful El Cajon, eastbound of San Diego.
He was arrested Thursday astatine San Diego International Airport portion trying to permission the country, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, which didn't accidental wherever helium was allegedly heading. Someone from Shaleta’s religion provided a connection and documentation “showing imaginable embezzlement from the church,” it said.
Prosecutor Joel Madero said the allegations against Shaleta are connected to monthly rental payments of much than $30,000 from a tenant of the church’s societal hallway that allegedly were missing. He said determination were discrepancies successful religion accounts and that Shaleta “provided wholly unreasonable tales of wherever that wealth was going.”
The justice acceptable bail astatine $125,000. Madero said Shaleta was a formation risk, but the bishop’s lawyer said Thursday's formation had been planned for a while.
During a caller Mass, Shaleta addressed allegations against him, saying helium has ne'er “abused immoderate penny of the religion money.”
“On the contrary, I person done my champion to sphere and negociate the donations of the religion properly,” helium said astatine the time.
Shaleta's attorney, Sharon Appelbaum, said she planned to amusement that the allegations were false. The priests of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle released a connection expressing solidarity with Shaleta.
The Vatican said successful its regular bulletin Tuesday that Leo had accepted Shaleta’s resignation nether the codification of canon instrumentality for Eastern Rite churches, which allows for the pope to hold if a bishop asks to measurement down.
Leo really accepted the resignation erstwhile Shaleta presented it successful February, but an announcement was not made until this week, according to the Vatican embassy successful Washington. The Holy See appears to person waited to denote the determination to debar interfering with the constabulary investigation.
Leo named Bishop Saad Hanna Sirop arsenic a impermanent administrator.
Shaleta was ordained a clergyman of the Chaldean Catholic Church successful Detroit successful 1984. He was named to the San Diego subdivision of the Eastern Rite Catholic Church successful the U.S. successful 2017.
The Chaldean Catholic Church represents much than a cardinal Aramaic-speaking Christians who are chiefly from Iraq. While its beliefs align with Roman Catholic doctrine, including the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, the religion maintains its ain distinct, past Eastern traditions and identity.
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Associated Press reporters Nicole Winfield successful Rome and Kathy McCormack successful Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.
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