Woman charged after thousands go missing from animal welfare charity

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Forgery red stamp text on white

Louisa Joan Prenna Woolard was granted bail in the sum of $18,000 when she appeared before Magistrate Conliffe Clark today.

The 46-year-old woman is accused of stealing money from the PAAWS Animal Welfare charity amounting to over $9,000 EC dollars.

She faces a number of charges including forgery involving checks.

The woman, who is a naturalized citizen of Antigua and Barbuda, also holds citizenship of the United Kingdom and Italy and served as the charity’s treasurer.

She was ordered to surrender all travel documents as part of the bail conditions and she needs written permission from the court before she is permitted to leave the country.

Louisa Facebook Photo (2008)

To secure her bail, Woolard had to pay $1,800 cash and produce two Antiguan sureties.

The woman, who resides in the Villa, must also report to the St. John’s Police Station three days weekly.

Her committal date is fixed for November 14.

Police investigations were launched at PAAWS’ request after a number of apparent financial discrepancies came to light.

“As a charitable organisation with limited funds and personnel, we have traditionally enjoyed a steadfast relationship among our team of staff and volunteers which places trust, along with mutual goals and objectives, at its core,” PAAWS said in a statement.

“Since the establishment of our new management board in December 2017, several crucial changes have come into effect including a meticulous new financial management system with appropriate checks and balances,” the charity added.

But the charity said it could not provide further details on the actual incident because it would be inappropriate to comment further now that legal proceedings are active.

“PAAWS would like to thank its many loyal supporters for their ongoing donations and reassure the public that every cent entrusted to us is scrupulously accounted for. PAAWS, which has been in existence since 1996, looks forward to a swift resolution of this matter,” it said.

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35 COMMENTS

      • Thank you Editor!

        A “white collar” crime committed by a “white” person. The irony. LMAO!

        • That’s not irony. It may be a coincidence, but irony is when the opposite of what you expect to happen happens. Your comment suggests that white people are more likely to commit white collar crimes. That makes the comment, in fact, the opposite of irony.

    • What is so “GREAT” about this organization? Promoting love for animals above love for human beings does NOT make one great. Apparently the Treasurer no longer believed in the values and vision of this “GREAT” organization. Thankfully i NEVER donated a penny of my hard earned money to elevating animals above HUMAN BEINGS. Remember how that lady almost crucified Krokuss for burning a DEAD DOG?? Sad sad sad. Louisa has sticky fingers.

      • So why don’t you get off your ignorant behind and go start a charity for human beings if you feel so strongly about it?! I guess because you are like most other Antiguans these days and you just want to talk utter ignorant garbage and contribute NOTHING. Get a life. There are room for more charities and not having neglected and abused dogs on the streets when tourism is all this little country has is an important one because civilised human beings from civilised countries who come to Antigua and the bring the money everyone relies on don’t want to see it and won’t return after they do. Anyway, I look forward to hearing about when you start your “human beings charity” you sad pathetic person.

        • liked your reply up to”So why don’t you get off your ignorant behind and go start a charity for human beings if you feel so strongly about it?! I guess because you are like most other Antiguans these days and you just want to talk utter ignorant garbage and contribute NOTHING. Get a life. There are room for more charities”

          The rest is a bit insulting giving the idea we not civilized….

          • Maybe the wrong words were used, as I feel civilized and live here, but it is true that you don’t see this kind of animal suffering, or human, in a lot of more developed countries.

      • Compassionate care for animals doesn’t have to be above compassion for humans. We are all God’s creatures and deserve love and basics such as food. Gandhi said you can judge a nation by the way they treat their animals. Antigua has a long way to go. Antiguan people aren’t shy about begging for what they want. Don’t have to worry about them. The animals have no voice. Someone has to look out for them.

      • @Hypocrisy-I think it would have been better if you had just kept your horrible opinion to yourself..Its not worth the time taken to read it. Pure Garbage…Would you like someone to start a Charity for you?

  1. Its a woman they will do anything for money ….including my mom ,aunt and sis …had ro add that

    • That comment is very degrading, ignorant, and disrespectful! Are you saying the as men we don’t do unscrupulous things for money?!!!

    • @Corrupt labour Party- Another piece of Garbage..It is this kind of stupid comments that people display for the world to see why people think we’re un-civilized.. I am a Woman and take great offense to your stupid comment,if those are the traits of your Mother,Sis,Aunt then feel free to state it- but leave others out.. Again,if you’ll have nothing constructive and intelligent to contribute to a particular topic,i urge that you,ll stay off the public media.

  2. Such a beautiful lady sorry for her ordeal hold strong ladies this is to show you how Gaston and his yes men making this country harder to live in …..all companies moving out no water high electricity bills and no jobs …..only one person benefitting

    • What does her beauty have to do with the fact that she is a theif? Even if things hard in the country Gaston didn’t send her to steal. Her beauty/color doesn’t excuse her from the crime and economical hardship doesn’t warrant her stealing from a CHARITY.

    • You are such a dunce politically.

      Where is the extra hardship in Antigua these days? Do you go to supermarkets at all and see the lines on a regular wkend?.Antigua is back up and running..Furthermore what does politics have to do with someone committing fraud.

      • Supermarkets? People have to eat. Supermarkets will be the last to be affected.

        What about all the business closures, however, under this administration? The government hasn’t provided a sustainable environment for private business to flourish. What new business have opened in the last four years?

        • An how many businesses closed under the 10 year rule of the former adminstration??? To include the brewery who now produces Antigua’s local beer in another island

          • Firstly, lemme say that you have come off your original topic. You originally said that, “Antigua IS back up and running.”

            I was answering your question directly.

            Now, it seems as if, having no proper rebuttal to the CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS, that you have resorted to going into a time machine back to 2004 – 2014. For the life of me, I don’t know how that period can be considered current.

            Anyway, I remember during the time period you alluded to that the Sandals Grande was expanded. Also, Verandah Resort, Hermitage, Sugar Ridge, Lighthouse Bay and Gunpowder Inn were ALL built during that time period. I could go on, but I’ll stop there.

            This administration has had four years thus far… tell me one new plant built???

  3. I am sorry for Louisa, she went through personal problems’ and sometimes you loose track of what is right or wrong. Someone or committee members from the previous management must have looked over the accounts, how come it took so long for them to realized what was happening.
    Louisa would not have to face the predicament she is in now.

    • STEALING IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE WRONG ! NO EXCUSES – ESPECIALLY WHEN STEALING FROM A CHARITY! JUST LIKE STEALING FROM A CHURCH – FRICKEN WRONG! SHE HAD BETTER GET A JAIL SENTENCE AND BE MADE TO MAKE FULL RESTITUTION!

    • She would not be facing the predicament if she didn’t take the money! No one should have to be looking over her shoulder for her to do the right thing, especially in the case of a charitable organization. We understand that people have their difficulties but where were her friends and family who evidently knew about the situation in her time of need? If she knew where to find them she wouldn’t think that she needed to resort to such desperate meaures.

    • So you’re saying she’s not responsible because no one caught her sooner???? Or that the previous board is responsible for not knowing???? Smh

      • @ Esther-I dont think that’s what the lady was saying- I think she meant had they picked up on the discrepancies earlier,she would not be facing a Court of law,they would have fired her before it got to this.. And yes stealing is wrong,but none of us are perfect,and someone in a dire situation handling money on a daily basis can easily be tempted into fraudulent activities..Its not aggravated or armed robbery..

  4. One long chups. She shudda get one room I Hotel 1735 like the Carslie Bay robber. Them need fu lock she up and throw away de key.

    • Somebody go bail she man but watch close to see if the charges gets dropped cuz white/ “rich”/ “soci” people get way with plenty more than the common man can in Antigua.

  5. Is the Bingo still on for Saturday as advertised in the other paper and where would the proceeds truly go to the running of the shelter or the running of human lives?

  6. Lassie I understood was so ecstatic when she heard the news she urinated on herself. Goofy I understood kept on howling.

    Animals are truly smart!!!

  7. If you see her charm, know it is just manipulation. Never knew a perfect example of a narcissist until I made her acquaintance. I feel sorry for her, her children, and what this bad press will do to diminish support of a very needed charity on island, but she brought this all on herself. She needs punishment AND medical help.

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