Just to be clear, now management is acting "on principal" not pragmatically, to get rid of Dave, not to get the files.
Since the only issue seems to be the files, and the files could have been copied for less than $8K, and this action has to cost more than $8K, then the company made a determination that getting rid of Dave is more important than simply copying the files and moving forward as many posters here have said.
The company has left the payment for the copying of the files to the shareholders ... literally.
Just an observation.