Editor's note: All individuals named in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The allegations described below are under active investigation and have not been adjudicated.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Fraud Unit is actively investigating a high-ranking member of El Cajon's Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego, a spokesperson confirmed Monday. Deputies are examining allegations of "financial mishandling" tied to Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, 60.

The investigation was prompted by an investigative report published by The Pillar, a Catholic journalism outlet. According to The Pillar, documents indicate Shaleta may have misappropriated rental payments belonging to the church, then repaid those funds using money reserved for charity. More than $427,000 is reported missing — a figure The Pillar says could reach as high as $1 million.

The Pillar's reporting also includes a private investigator's report alleging Shaleta made regular visits to a Tijuana brothel. The investigator reportedly surveilled the bishop and documented the visits firsthand. NBC 7 San Diego contacted the San Diego-based private investigator, who declined to comment on his work.

According to The Pillar, Shaleta submitted a resignation letter to the Vatican last month. However, as of Sunday, he was still leading Mass at St. Peter's Church, according to a video posted on YouTube. A priest at the parish acknowledged to NBC 7 that parishioners had seen the report, but declined to comment on the investigation or on how the community was responding.

El Cajon is home to one of the largest Chaldean Catholic communities in the United States, making this a story of particular significance to East County residents. NBC 7 reached out to Shaleta through the parish for comment; he had not responded before publication. The Vatican also did not respond to NBC 7's inquiry. The investigation is ongoing. (Source: NBC 7 San Diego)