Klaus spent a good bit of his life working in high-level governmental jobs. When he retired, he and his partner decided to open a bar. To acquire the necessary funding, they approached some individuals Klaus had learned to know while working for the government. With the necessary capital in hand, they began working toward their dream.
Then one day the partner turned up missing, along with a sizable portion of the working capital. At that point, Klaus discovered that the individuals who had loaned them the money were associated with organized crime. Since the partner was nowhere to be found, Klaus was responsible to come up with the miss
ing money.
Motivated by threats against his family, he liquidated everything he could. But he was still short. With time running out, he staged a series of bank robberies. Eventually caught and convicted, he spent time in prison.
In prison a relationship he began with the local chaplain and prison visitation volunteers fomented a life-changing experience.
When released, he began writing a series of news articles for the Winnipeg Free Press in which he reflected on prison life. He also began volunteering for civic organizations.
His re-entry has been rocky. At one point he was returned to prison for what appeared to be a technical violation of his parole. He was released with a reprimand. He continues to operate a consulting business, something he initiated as a result of not being able to find employment because of his prison record.