Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta from the St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral located in El Cajon, California, has formally entered a not guilty plea to a total of 17 felony charges at his arraignment held in El Cajon Courthouse.
The allegations against him consist of eight counts of embezzlement, eight counts of money laundering, along with an enhancement for aggravated white- collar crime.
According to the office of the District Attorney, the accusations indicate illicit activities spanning several months starting in 2024, with two charges for each month implicated. Shaleta is alleged to have taken $270,000 from the church.
The missing funds came to light through a church accountant's discovery, prompting an investigation.
"A church member identified funds that were untraceably accounted for, leading to the subsequent investigation," commented Joel Madero, Deputy District Attorney.
Authorities point out that the church had a tenant who paid $30,000 monthly in rent for a hall owned by the church. Initially, the payments were made via checks. However, it is alleged that Shaleta instructed the tenant to switch to cash payments, with the cash being funneled to him through the church secretary.
The District Attorney's office indicates that Shaleta attempted to mask the illicit cash by routing it through a fund designed for charitable assistance before moving it to a separate operational account under his authority.
"That money effectively disappeared, and there were no records of it, as it was going to the bishop via the secretary," Madero added.
Law enforcement apprehended Shaleta at the San Diego International Airport on Thursday night, where he was found with a bag containing more than $9,000. The District Attorney highlighted this as indicative of a potential flight risk and requested bail to be set.
"He was allegedly heading to Germany. Given his financial capabilities, including the $9,000 in his possession when detained, along with his international connections, we felt it necessary to request bail to ensure he would appear for court proceedings," Madero stated.
Supporters, including parishioner Faruk Gewiarges, were present at the arraignment.
The judge has established bail at $125,000, with conditions that if Shaleta is released, he must wear a GPS monitoring device within 72 hours and will not have access to church finances. The Sheriff's Office currently holds Shaleta's passport and will turn it over to the court.
As per the District Attorney, there have been no discussions regarding a plea deal so far. If convicted, Shaleta could face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The church has publicly expressed its support for the bishop, stating solidarity with him. The Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle issued a statement regarding the situation.
Shaleta's next hearing is set for April 7, followed by a preliminary trial scheduled on April 28.
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!