A Russian company indicted by Robert Mueller accused the special counsel of searching for a "make-believe crime" in a harsh court filing Monday that also quoted a line from 1943 cult classic "Casablanca."
Concord Management and Consulting, a Moscow-based firm controlled by sanctioned Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, was charged in February with meddling in the 2016 U.S. election by pumping millions of dollars into a covert social media campaign seeking to sow discord among American voters and, at least in part, boost President Donald Trump's campaign.
But Concord, which is the only entity to respond to its charges of the three Russian companies and 13 Russian nationals indicted by Mueller, contended the special counsel investigation has "absolutely nothing to do with any links or coordination between any candidate" and the Kremlin.
"The reason is obvious, and is political: to justify his own existence the Special Counsel has to indict a Russian _ any Russian," Concord said in the filing, adding as a footnote a segment of "Casablanca," in which character Capt. Renault says, "Major Strasser has been shot. Round up the usual suspects."
Prigozhin, who has earned the nickname "Putin's chef" thanks to his close ties to the Russian president, was slapped with sanctions from the U.S. Treasury Department prior to Mueller's Concord indictment.
Concord, which Prigozhin allegedly oversaw as it boosted a massive Russian social media troll farm, argued it shouldn't be charged with any crimes because it's only guilty of "funding free speech."
Concord also maintained Mueller's probe is politically motivated, and called for all charges to be dismissed.
Mueller, who was appointed May 17 last year, has secured 19 indictments in his sweeping investigation into Russian interference and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.
Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn and ex-campaign official Rick Gates have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with federal investigators.
