It is an inconvenience if you want to stay 100% anonymous. There is no doubt. If you don't care about 100% purchase anonymity coinbase works great. I've done coinbase for when I didn't care and I've done localbitocins when I wanted the anonymity.Bitcoin can be troublesome for some people, myself included... :\
I think bitcoin is more for the receiver. In this case they need 100% anonymity. So this will allow them that.
I'd like them to post a bitcoin address now so we can get them some funds in the mean time while they are sorting it all out.