The Chaldean Catholic bishop arrested last week at San Diego International Airport as he was about to leave the country is due in court on Monday. After a months-long investigation by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Fraud Unit, Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, 60, of Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego was taken into custody by San Diego sheriff’s deputies, who said at the time that he faces eight counts of embezzlement, eight counts of money laundering, and an enhancement of “aggravated white collar crime.” Shaleta, who has professed his innocence from the pulpit, is expected to be arraigned Monday afternoon at the courthouse in El Cajon. 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 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. During that recent Sunday mass, Shaleta spoke openly about the Vatican’s investigation into money laundering and embezzlement allegations raised against him. “I have never — in my episcopal life — have I used any penny of the church money,” Shaleta said. “On the contrary: I have done my best to preserve and manage the donations,” also saying, “you are the only one who can believe me and defend my integrity in the church financial matters and in life.” On Friday, NBC 7 spoke with a long-time parishioner, Nidhal Shamoun, who said she still supports the bishop wholeheartedly. She said she was shocked when she learned about the bishop’s arrest. “I cried,” Shamoun said. “He doesn’t deserve to be there.” Shamoun described Shaleta as “a good leader. I didn’t see nothing wrong with him with money? He doesn’t like money.” She said the congregation prayed for Shaleta on Friday and that she hopes he is innocent. “The church will go on,” Shamoun said. “Been going on for more than 2,000 years. The devil is trying to do something. We beat them so many times. We are gonna beat them, hopefully, this time. We love him and we are behind him 100% — 1000%.” The priests of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle released the following statement: “After hearing all of the critics and attacks against our eparchy and bishop, we ask the lord to protect our eparchy and bishop from all of the negative attacks. We are in solidarity with our eparchy and bishop. We are awaiting the decision on this matter. Please continue to keep this eparchy in your prayers and remain faithful to the salvific mission of Christ.” 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. With reporting by NBC 7’s Jackie Crea — Ed. ...read more read less