When you walk into a shitshow like this, the first thing you do is secure your payments. Anyone who is in such bad shape like how OP described it means that they are desperate, and desperate people will do and say anything to get help.
It is most likely going to not pay anyone so you need to make sure you're paid above and beyond anything else otherwise walk.
That's not the middle ground. That's the other extreme, where people are desperate for work so they will say they can do anything in order to get work.
As 75% of a single month fee (25% paid upfront), not too bad either: $46k in total for 4 weeks of work. Expenses were not included (flight was paid for).
It is most likely going to not pay anyone so you need to make sure you're paid above and beyond anything else otherwise walk.