Las Vegas, City of Sin, a place bursting of the seams with garish flashing lights, backroom

deals, sexual indiscretion, Rowdy bachelor partiers, and general drunken debauchery a city where people go to make bad decisions

and pray the consequences don't follow them home with such a seedy reputation it might be the last place you'd expect to find two kind-faced older ladies

like Lana Chang and Mary Margaret Cooper.

But these ladies were regulars, just as comfortable in a darkened room choked with cigarette smoke as they were at a church fundraiser.

They spent money like someone else was footing the bill.

And somebody else was, rather, several somebody's, they just didn't know it yet. Unlike other visitors to the gambling capital of the world, Chang and Cooper weren't just betting on cards and sports.

They were risking a lot more than cash.

Chang and Cooper rolled the dice every time they stepped out on the gaming floor.

They were betting they wouldn't get caught.

You see, Chang and Cooper were meant to be two humble employees of an elementary school.

But they were living large, driving late model

volvos and taking frequent luxurious trips to Vegas and Tahoe.

Not bad for two women who had taken a vow of poverty.

This is opportunist, an original podcast from Podcast One.

You're listening to a story told in one episode called Sister Mary Margaret Cooper Unholy Roller.

I'm Sarah James McLaughlin.

In this episode, we'll do a deep dive

on sisters Lana Chang and Mary Margaret Cooper who ran a Catholic school but used their power to fund a dark addiction. You're going to do. Established in 1918, St. James Catholic School consists of several low-lying buildings in

sunny Redondo Beach in Torrance, California, less than an hour from the City of angels, depending on the traffic of course.

The school's stated mission is to quote,

facilitate the development of confident, competent, and caring Catholic citizens."

...