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  "path": "/news/us/brothel-loving-bishop-stole-thousands-church-ousted-pope-leo",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-12T19:37:08.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "'Jesus would identify with illegal immigrants and asylum seekers', Pope Leo claims",
    "Pope Leo breaks with 50-year tradition after historic 1,500-year-old church converted into Mosque",
    "Pope Leo highlights suffering of Palestinians in pointed Christmas Day sermon",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nA bishop who has been accused of frequenting brothels and stealing thousands of dollars from his church has been ousted by Pope Leo.\n\nEmanuel Shaleta has pleaded not guilty to 17 charges, including money laundering and embezzlement from his parish in El Cajon, near San Diego.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nSan Diego Deputy District Attorney Joel Madero said the alleged crimes took place in 2024 and were reported by a church employee who noticed the missing funds.\n\nHana Shaleta was arrested on March 5 at San Diego International Airport while attempting to leave the US, according to a sheriff's office statement.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe bishop's lawyer said at Monday's hearing Shaleta was taking a planned trip to Germany.\n\nChaldean Catholics recognise the authority of the pope but worship according to an Eastern Christian liturgical rite.\n\nThere are about 71,000 Chaldean Catholics in San Diego, according to Vatican statistics.\n\nMr Shaleta spent four nights in jail before he was charged, when he was released on bail after paying $125,000 (£93,163).\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe office of Pope Leo said it had also received the resignation of the church’s Cardinal Louis Sako.\n\nThe cardinal has not been accused of any offences.\n\nAn investigation was first launched by the Holy See last year over the allegations of wrongdoing.\n\nJD Flynn, editor-in-chief of The Pillar, which covers Catholic issues, said pressure on Pope Leo had been mounting to oust the bishop and the levelling of charges was seen as the last straw.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * 'Jesus would identify with illegal immigrants and asylum seekers', Pope Leo claims\n  * Pope Leo breaks with 50-year tradition after historic 1,500-year-old church converted into Mosque\n  * Pope Leo highlights suffering of Palestinians in pointed Christmas Day sermon\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMr Flynn told The Telegraph: \"My observation of Pope Leo is that he is, and will be, a by-the-book administrator.\n\n\"I see this as a sign Leo intends to govern with a strong hand when he needs to, and especially when this level of dysfunction is manifested or alleged.\"\n\nSharon Appelbaum, Mr Shaleta’s lawyer, told the court her client intended to fight the charges and that he had never \"abused any penny of the church money\".\n\nMr Shaleta said via his lawyer: \"I have done my best to preserve and manage the donations of the church properly.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nA month after he first announced as Pontiff, Pope Leo said: \"It is urgent to root in the whole church a culture of prevention that does not tolerate any form of abuse, neither of power or authority, nor abuse of conscience, spiritual or sexual abuse.\"\n\nA spokesman for Vatican said: “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.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Brothel-loving bishop who 'stole thousands from church' ousted by Pope Leo"
}