After a months-long investigation by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Fraud Unit, a high-ranking member of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego was arrested Thursday at the San Diego International Airport. Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, 60, was taken into custody by San Di ego Sheriff’s deputies as he was attempting to leave the country, officials announced in a news release issued Thursday, which went on to say that he faces eight counts of embezzlement, eight counts of money laundering, and an enhancement of “aggravated white collar crime.” Investigators also said on Thursday that the case began when the sheriff’s office was contacted last August by somebody from the St. Peter Chaldean Church in unincorporated El Cajon. The church official gave investigators a “statement and documents showing potential embezzlement from the church. Upon completion of the initial investigation, the case was forwarded to and investigated by the sheriff’s fraud unit.” The church’s internal investigation reportedly began after an article was published in The Pillar, which is staffed by a team of Catholic journalists who uncover church issues. The Pillar article stated that documents show that Shaleta may have misappropriated funds that came in the form of rental payments for a property owned by the church. According to The Pillar, Shaleta then repaid that money with funds reserved for charity. More than $427,000 is missing, but the article states the number could be as high as $1 million. The Pillar’s reporting also shows Shaleta was a regular at a Tijuana brothel called The Hong Kong Billionaire’s Club. A private investigator’s report obtained by The Pillar shows the investigator followed the bishop and witnessed his comings and goings. The Pillar’s investigator also reported that Shaleta frequented the home of a woman with whom he shares a bank account. The two met when they both worked for the church in Michigan, then stayed in contact when Shaleta was transferred to Toronto. When Shaleta was transferred to San Diego, the woman and her children followed him.  According to The Pillar, the investigator’s report shows Shaleta had unfettered access to the woman’s home, using a security keypad to enter. The woman was also witnessed using keys to enter Shaleta’s home. They were together for long periods of time, according to the investigator’s report obtained by The Pillar. The investigator’s report adds that Shaleta was often seen alone with the woman’s children, treating them as one would their own children. NBC 7 contacted the San Diego-based private investigator. He declined to elaborate on his work. A priest at the church spoke briefly to NBC 7 last week after seeing our camera outside St. Peter’s Church. He acknowledged that parishioners know of the report because it was posted on several online platforms but said he couldn’t comment on the investigation itself or on how parishioners were handling the troubling news. The Pillar reported that Shaleta sent a resignation letter to The Vatican last month, but Shaleta was still in the pulpit for a Sunday’s mass weeks ago, according to a video posted on YouTube. NBC 7 reached out to the Vatican to find out more about Shaleta’s status but has not received a response. NBC 7 sent an email last week asking a priest at St. Peter’s to ask Shaleta if he would be willing to talk about the allegations but received no response. Deputies are asking anybody with information about the case to contact them at (858) 285-6111. Tips can also be called in anonymously to Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Shaleta, who was booked into San Diego Central Jail, is being held on $125,000 bail, is also being held under Penal Code section 1275.1, which requires an examination of the funds being put up for bail. The money must be proven to have not been acquired by ill-gotten gains. ...read more read less