She and Mr. Sweetbreads had been secretly selling the zoo's endangered species to traveling animal shows (the press reported that the animals 'mysteriously died') and were planning to do the same with Zoey, until Molly and Sloane exposed them for the villains they were.
The woman and Mr. Sweetbreads had been secretly selling the zoo's endangered species to traveling animal shows, causing the animals to mysteriously die (as reported by the press). They were planning to do the same with Zoey before Molly and Sloane revealed their true villainous nature.