Almost feels like it was halfway tongue in cheek. Like, it wasn't the threat of legal action they expected to hold compliance, it was "you're part of something SECRET now! You got a secret contract too!"
>"THE DEPARTMENT OF MEXICA STUDIES, MR. SMITH! In order to get the details exactly right for Queztacoatal cockvoring my fursona, I've arranged a generous donation so you may have access to the codex archives here. Dr. Ramirez will be your assistant, study whatever you need."
Oh don't worry, they aren't going to be merely *fined*. In the eyes of the law, destroyed evidence is assumed to be horrendously incriminating, and the judge will both carry that forward AND instruct the jury to assume that in deliberations.