Costa Rican prosecutors say fake nuns ran false charity clinics, abused novices and gave poor care

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Prosecutors in Costa Rica say they have arrested a man and four women who posed as nuns to accept donations for false charity clinics, but used some of the money for trips and other purchases. Randall Zúñiga, the head of the Central American country’s judicial investigative agency, said the five claimed to represent a missionary order of nuns, and that they recruited and abused novices. The novices weren’t paid, never were able to take their vows as nuns, and were sometimes forced to dress up as medical personnel to fool authorities, who gave the charity government money.