Trump executives fear beginning of the end 

Former allies of Donald Trump feel his business empire is facing its biggest legal challenge yet and may not fully survive.

When the former Trump Organisation executive Barbara Res saw that the company’s long-time finance boss had turned himself in to face state tax charges, her mind turned to Donald Trump.

“This is it,” Ms Res said. “I think that it’s going to destroy the Trump empire.” Louise Sunshine, who was once an executive vice president, had a similar thought. “It’s the beginning of the end of the brand,” she said. But her former boss? “Donald will always survive — even if everybody else around him drops dead.” After Abe Wallach saw the news, the main thing he felt was sorry for Allen Weisselberg. “He stayed too close to the fire and he got burned,” said the company’s former vice president for acquisitions. “And that’s true of lots of people.” The Trump Organisation and its chief financial officer pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges of tax fraud, scheme to defraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records — the first criminal case to emerge from the years-long investigation of Trump and his business dealings.