In the ongoing civil fraud trial involving former President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization, Judge Arthur Engoron has indicated that he is considering how a potential perjury charge against Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, could impact his final ruling.

In a recent development, Judge Engoron reached out to the lawyers representing Trump and the New York Attorney General's Office, seeking guidance on how to address a report from the New York Times. According to the report, Weisselberg is allegedly in discussions to plead guilty to perjury charges related to his testimony in October.

Weisselberg's testimony, which was unexpectedly cut short, came under scrutiny after Forbes published an article suggesting that he had lied under oath. The article claimed that financial statements inaccurately exaggerated the size and value of Trump's penthouse apartment in Trump Tower. Weisselberg testified that he had not focused on the valuation of the apartment, but the Forbes article revealed earlier emails that indicated his involvement in supporting the false valuation.

It has since been reported that Weisselberg has been negotiating with the Manhattan district attorney to plead guilty to perjury, with sources confirming the ongoing discussions.

This development follows Weisselberg's previous guilty plea in connection with a criminal tax fraud case against the Trump Organization. The Manhattan District Attorney's office secured a conviction against the company on 17 felony counts. However, attorneys for the defendants, including Trump himself, have denied any wrongdoing.

Judge Engoron's ruling, initially expected by January 31st, has been delayed. This delay comes after a special monitor overseeing the Trump Organization's finances raised concerns about discrepancies and shortcomings in the company's recent financial disclosures.

In his letter to the lawyers, Judge Engoron emphasized that if Weisselberg admits to perjury, it may call into question not only his testimony on the Trump Tower apartment but also other topics discussed during his hours-long testimony. The judge indicated that he may ultimately deem Weisselberg's entire testimony as not credible.

The outcome of this trial is eagerly anticipated, as it has the potential to impact the legal battles surrounding the former president and his business empire. As of now, the judge has already found Trump and the other defendants liable for fraud, but has yet to rule on other related allegations that were brought up during the trial.

Correction: In a previous version of this story, there was an editing error that misspelled Allen Weisselberg's first name.