In a major development in Donald Trump's civil fraud trial, the judge overseeing the case has demanded more information after a key witness, Allen Weisselberg, the former longtime finance chief at Trump's company, the Trump Organization, was reported to be in negotiations to plead guilty to perjury in connection with his testimony. Judge Arthur Engoron, in an email posted to the trial docket, asked the lawyers involved in the case to provide details about Weisselberg's situation.

Judge Engoron emphasized the significance of the case and expressed his desire not to disregard any relevant information. Referring to a report in The New York Times, Engoron raised concerns that Weisselberg may have lied on the witness stand during the civil fraud trial last October. The report suggested that Weisselberg is in discussions with the Manhattan district attorney's office to plead guilty to perjury and admit that he lied during his testimony.

The Associated Press, citing anonymous sources, also reported that Manhattan prosecutors are considering a potential perjury charge against Weisselberg. Engoron, as the presiding magistrate and the judge of credibility, emphasized that he wants to ascertain whether Weisselberg is changing his testimony and admitting to lying under oath in his courtroom.

Engoron's email was sent to lawyers representing Trump, Weisselberg, the Trump Organization, and other defendants, as well as counsel for the New York Attorney General Letitia James' office, which brought the civil fraud case. The judge has asked for a response from the lawyers by Wednesday afternoon, including their thoughts on how he should handle the matter and the timing of his final decision.

During the civil fraud trial, Weisselberg was one of 40 witnesses who testified for over 2½ months. He answered questions regarding allegations that Trump lied about his wealth on financial statements provided to banks and insurance companies. The specific aspect of Weisselberg's testimony that drew scrutiny from the Manhattan prosecutors remains unclear.

Weisselberg claimed on the witness stand that he had little knowledge or awareness of the overvaluation of Trump's penthouse at Trump Tower on financial statements. The discrepancy listed the penthouse as three times its actual size, but Weisselberg argued that he didn't consider it significant compared to Trump's overall wealth. However, it was later revealed that Weisselberg had extensive discussions with Forbes magazine, trying to convince them that the penthouse was worth more than they believed.

This new development comes after Weisselberg served 100 days in jail last year for tax evasion related to perks he received from the Trump Organization. He testified as a prosecution witness in the 2022 trial that resulted in the Trump Organization's tax fraud conviction. Trump is currently covering Weisselberg's legal expenses and paying him a severance package.

The inquiry into Weisselberg's testimony in the civil fraud case is separate from another criminal case by the Manhattan District Attorney's office against Trump, alleging falsification of company records in relation to hush money payments. That trial is scheduled to commence in late March.

As the situation unfolds, Judge Engoron's demand for more information and potential perjury charges against Weisselberg add another layer of complexity to the already high-profile civil fraud trial involving Donald Trump and his business empire.