Story highlights Podesta CEO told employees firm would cease to exist at end of the yearDevelopments come after firm was tied to Mueller's indictments of Manafort and Gates(CNN) One of Washington's most prominent lobbying firms is on the verge of shuttering after becoming ensnared by special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Kimberley Fritts, the chief executive of the Podesta Group, told employees during a Thursday staff meeting that the firm would cease to exist at the end of the year, according to two sources. Employees were asked to clear out their desks and were told they may not be paid beyond November 15, multiple sources said. Fritts told the employees the Podesta Group may try to provide health care through the end of the year, according to two people in the meeting. The developments come after the Podesta Group was tied last week to Mueller's indictments of Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, who pleaded not guilty after being charged with failing to file as foreign agents relating to a decade of work they did for the Party of Regions, a pro-Russia political party in the Ukraine.

Source: CNN November 11, 2017 14:15 UTC