When we recall lady-heists and women-grifterss we think: Thelma and Louise, Diamond Doris and Barbara Erni (aka The Golden Boos).

We don’t think of two nuns on the run à la Sister Act.

But that’s exactly what two unruly novitiates, Sisters Mary Margaret Kreuper and Lana Chang, have been accused of, after embezzling a “substantial” amount of money from tuition and other funds from a Catholic school to pay for gambling trips to Las Vegas. Yes, you read that correctly.

According to church officials, the two women have been embezzling money from school tuition fees and donations to Saint James School near Los Angeles for at least a decade.

The alleged theft was only discovered when the pair retired this year following a routine audit whenever an outgoing principal leaves. The total amount is still being calculated but reports have claimed that the figure is around $500,000 (£400,000).

In a letter to parents, Monsignor Michael Meyers described the sum as substantial. “This matter came to our attention during financial reviews in connection with the change in leadership at our school,” he said, according to the Guardian.

Why two nuns have been accused of embezzling money to fund gambling trips to Sin City