VATICAN CITY, March 10 (Reuters) - Pope Leo has accepted the resignation of a Catholic ‌bishop in San Diego who was ‌arrested by local authorities on suspicion of stealing $250,000 from his ​congregation, the Vatican announced on Tuesday.

Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta had led the small Chaldean Catholic community in the California city since 2017. He ‌pleaded not guilty ⁠to 16 counts of embezzlement and money laundering at a hearing on ⁠Monday, according to local media reports.

San 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, according to KGTV, a local ABC affiliate.

Hana Shaleta was arrested on March 5 at San Diego's international airport while attempting to leave the U.S., ‌according to a sheriff's ​office statement.

The bishop's lawyer said ​at Monday's hearing ​that Hana Shaleta was taking a ‌planned trip to Germany.

Chaldean ​Catholics recognise ​the authority of the pope but worship according to an eastern Christian liturgical rite. ​There are about ‌71,000 Chaldean Catholics in San Diego, ​according to Vatican statistics.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee, ​editing by Alvise Armellini)