Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta of St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral in El Cajon, California, pleaded not guilty to all 17 felony charges during his arraignment at the El Cajon Courthouse on Monday.
The charges include:
Eight counts of embezzlement
Eight counts of money laundering
One enhancement for aggravated white-collar crime
According to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the alleged criminal activity spanned multiple months beginning in 2024, with two counts assigned for each month involved. Shaleta stands accused of embezzling approximately $270,000 from church funds.
The investigation began after a church accountant noticed unaccounted-for money, prompting an internal review that led to authorities being contacted.
Deputy District Attorney Joel Madero explained that the scheme allegedly involved a tenant renting a church-owned hall, who had been paying $30,000 monthly in rent. Initially, payments were made by check, but Shaleta reportedly instructed the tenant to switch to cash. The cash was then allegedly funneled through the church secretary to the bishop.
Prosecutors claim Shaleta attempted to conceal the funds by routing them through a “needy account” (designated for helping the poor) before transferring them to an operations account under his direct control.
“That money effectively vanished, and the money was going to the bishop via the secretary; there’s no accounting of that money,” Madero stated.
Shaleta was arrested Thursday night at San Diego International Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Germany. Authorities recovered over $9,000 in cash from a bag he was carrying. The District Attorney’s Office cited this as evidence of flight risk, noting his access to funds, international ties, and proximity to the Mexican border.
The judge set bail at $125,000. If released, Shaleta must wear a GPS tracker within 72 hours, have no access to church funds, and surrender his passport (currently held by the Sheriff’s Office) to the court.
Madero stated that no plea deal discussions have taken place at this stage. If convicted on all counts, Shaleta faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Several supporters, including parishioner Faruk Gewiarges, attended the arraignment.
The Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle released a statement expressing solidarity with Bishop Shaleta during this period.
The next court dates are:
Hearing: April 7, 2026
Preliminary trial: April 28, 2026
The case has drawn significant attention within the Chaldean Catholic community in California, one of the largest in the United States, and continues to unfold as the investigation and legal proceedings progress.
