This doesn't seem dishonest to me. I'd do the same thing. If my company is truly strapped for cash, I'd offer a low salary (to "keep the lights on") and give mo

This doesn't seem dishonest to me. I'd do the same thing. If my company is truly strapped for cash, I'd offer a low salary (to "keep the lights on") and give more equity instead. If someone told me their bills are too high and they need more cash, I'd double the salary but give almost no equity. The whole point of going to a startup is to have ownership of something small that you grow to become something big, so you usually don't care too much about the salary.