The fresh start in life that never was

For these men, the job promised in that Craigslist ad was what they needed to turn their luck around. The $300 per week paycheck, free accommodation, and the mundane tasks involved in an isolated cattle farm were just the change they desperately needed. It was a job that they believed could give them a fresh start in life.

They were willing to do anything

Ohio was hit hard by the recent financial crisis. People were brought to their knees, and the great number of applicants who were willing to do anything and were lured by that Craigslist ad was no surprise. According to one motel clerk in Akron, people there were really desperate for work. They didn’t care what type of work was available.