Trial Ordered for Former Nuns in Embezzlement and Abuse Case

A court in Bilbao has decided that seven former Spanish nuns will face trial for embezzlement and various abuses they allegedly inflicted on five elderly nuns in their care.

These women, part of a group of excommunicated Poor Clare nuns from the Belorado Monastery, plan to leave the Catholic Church in 2024 and align with a controversial religious faction. Their departure has led to a two-year conflict over control of the monastery, which resulted in their eviction from the historic site in March.

According to the Spanish newspaper La Lasson, the agency announced that it obtained a judgment from Bilbao’s Fifth Court regarding the upcoming trial. The charges against these seven women include several property crimes, such as abandonment, coercion, and embezzlement, all tied to events that took place at the convent.

An eighth nun, also part of this group, won’t be prosecuted because there isn’t enough evidence against her. As of now, the court hasn’t scheduled a trial date.

The allegations emerged after a thorough investigation. In December 2025, the Spanish Civil Guard entered the convent and rescued five elderly nuns, aged between 87 and 101, who were found in dire conditions. The nuns had been living without adequate care, and the Archdiocese of Burgos subsequently recognized them as part of Belorado’s true religious community following the excommunication of the other nuns.

Citing court documents, La Lasson reported that these elderly nuns were discovered lacking basic sanitary care and medication. They were not even receiving changes of their diapers or breakfast.

Authorities found particularly troubling conditions, including two dogs and traces of feces in one nun’s living space. One nun was reportedly discovered “sitting alone on the toilet,” while another had been in “deteriorating condition” and had not received necessary medical treatment for months.

A Bilbao court indicated that the accused nuns were suspected of exploiting the elderly women’s vulnerability, manipulating them psychologically to keep them from leaving the convent. Documents suggest that many of the elderly nuns did not fully comprehend the extent of the abuse due to their cognitive decline, which in some cases was severe.

Witness testimonies revealed that the elderly nuns faced “humiliation, punishment, and threats.” One distressing account shared in court was a statement made by an elderly nun who reportedly said, “You haven’t hit me yet today.” This comment was cited by a witness, who claimed that another elderly nun was too afraid to leave due to being told she would be poisoned by those in charge.

A forensic report also pointed out alarming conditions at the monastery, describing the central courtyard as infested with filth and stray animals, and noting that medical professionals sometimes found it difficult to access the elderly nuns because of their caretakers’ actions.

In addition to the abuse accusations, the court found evidence that the seven former nuns had opened joint bank accounts with the elderly nuns to control their pensions and funds without their consent. This further substantiates the corruption claims against them.