Largest Association Being Investigated by Judicial Officials
The board of directors of the largest association in the country is being investigate by the Fiscalía (prosecutor's office) after a complaint by the Unidad de Fraudes del Ministerio Público, the victim being the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS).

The Asociación Solidarista de empleados de la Caja del Seguro Social (ASECCSS) is the larges union in the country with 23.000 members and us$100 million dollars in capital.

The investigation by judicial officials has several aspects following a formal complaint at the end of last year by the CCSS. The ASECCSS board is being accused of excessive expenditures for instance, where board members are given a monthly meal allowance of ¢300.000 colones (us$600), an illegal payment according to authorities.

Agents of the Unidad de Financiero Contable del Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) are heading the investigation into each of the current 12 ASECCSS board members.

As part of their investigation, judicial officials are also questioning the payment of some ¢5 billion colones in miscellaneous expenses as reported to the Asemblea General of the ASECCSS.

The board believes that no improprieties was committed on their part and that all payments of meals and expenses paid to the board members was authorized in the past and is part of the normal actions of the board.