Emmanuel Challita

Emanuel Hana Shaleta (born November 11, 1956) is a Chaldean Catholic prelate who served as the Eparch of Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego from 2017 to 2026.

Biography Shaleta was born in the village of Fishkhabour in Northern Iraq.

On May 31, 1984, Shaleta was ordained to the priesthood. Pope Francis appointed Shaleta eparch for the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego on August 9, 2017. On August 29, 2017, Shaleta was installed as eparch.

In January 2026, Shaleta submitted his resignation in response to a canonical investigation ordered by the Vatican. He is accused of embezzlement and improper behavior, including visits to Tijuana linked to prostitution.

On March 5, 2026, Shaleta was arrested at San Diego International Airport as he tried to leave the United States. He was charged with felony counts of embezzlement and money laundering. According to a report published by the Catholic news organization The Pillar, he is possibly the first sitting diocesan Catholic bishop arrested for felony financial crimes in the US. Shaleta is expected to face trial in autumn 2026.

In February 2026, Pope Leo XIV accepted Shaleta's resignation as the bishop of the eparchy, and this was made public on March 10 when he appointed an apostolic administrator for the eparchy.