This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
It was only minutes after a panel of judges on a New York appeals court ruled that Attorney General Letitia James and Arthur Engoron, a trial court judge, violated the U.S. Constitution by trying to penalize President Donald Trump with a $500 million penalty that he responded on social media:
"A GREAT WIN FOR AMERICA!" he said.
But he wasn't done:
TOTAL VICTORY in the FAKE New York State Attorney General Letitia James Case! I greatly respect the fact that the Court had the Courage to throw out this unlawful and disgraceful Decision that was hurting Business all throughout New York State. Others were afraid to do business there. The amount, including Interest and Penalties, was over $550 Million Dollars. It was a Political Witch Hunt, in a business sense, the likes of which no one has ever seen before. This was a Case of Election Interference by the City and State trying to show, illegally, that I did things that were wrong when, in fact, everything I did was absolutely CORRECT and, even, PERFECT.
ADVERTISEMENTEvery single Dollar was thrown out, even the penalties imposed on us by the Corrupt Judge, one of the most overturned in History, Arthur Engoron. I wasn't given a Jury and, during the course of the Trial, which lasted a long time, was not given one Ruling in my favor by this Political Hack, but worse than him, if that's possible, was Letitia James, a Corrupt and Incompetent Attorney General who only brought this Case in order to hurt me politically. She is a Trump Deranged Lunatic!
They made me bond the outrageous sum, which never happened before, and which cost me Millions of Dollars a month. It should have never been allowed to happen, and everyone knew it! Importantly, the Vote was 5 to 0. I am so honored by Justice David Friedman's great words of wisdom, which should be read by everyone. I would also like to thank the Court for having the Courage to make this Decision, which is already going down as one of the worst business persecutions in the History of our Country.
Sadly, there are other Cases against me that are equally disgraceful, including those headed up by Corrupt Judges, like Juan Merchan, whose daughter collected Millions of Dollars in Fees from Crooked Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, while her father shockingly REFUSED TO RECUSE himself from a vicious and corrupt trial, which is also under Appeal, one in which every Legal Pundit in New York said, "THERE WAS NO CASE!" — Even Editorial Boards said, "DO NOT DO THIS!"
Judge Merchan gave me an unprecedented Gag Order, not letting me talk about him or his daughter, or the fact that the Appellate Judges thought he should not be doing the Case, but he did it anyway. Many Lawyers said that his daughter and him created the Greatest Conflict of Interest they had ever seen. Judge Lewis Kaplan, the other remaining Case, whose wife, family, and friends attended his two trials, is as mean and nasty as anyone I have ever met. That Case, also on Appeal, should also never have been brought, and he should be admonished for Abuse, and every other thing that can be thrown at a Corrupt Judge. He loved the publicity, and would not let us present the irrefutable evidence that we wanted to present. This Clinton appointed Judge should not be allowed to get away with this SCAM…."
He added, "These were all Political Trials in an effort to destroy my viability as a Presidential Candidate before, during, and after the Election. They were strongly coordinated with the Biden/Harris Campaign, and will go down in History as among the most Corrupt Cases ever brought. These two Cases are even more ridiculous than the Corrupt Letitia James Case, and will be found out to be so in the very near future. All of these Judges should be ashamed of themselves for allowing them to happen. They are Political Hacks who did everything possible to hurt me as a Candidate. This was an attack by the Biden/Harris Administration on their Political Opponent, ME. It is such an Honor to have withstood it, thrived, and even become President of the United States despite the horrible things that were done to me. I'd like to thank and congratulate my son Eric Trump, and all of the many people in the Trump Organization, that fought so strongly for Justice. My Legal Team refused to give up against heavy odds. This is a Great Day for New York City and State!"
The decision said the penalty violated the U.S. Constitution's ban on excessive fines. The remaining injunctive comments by the judge now can appealed further by Trump.
James had campaigned for office on the promise to "get" President Trump, without citing any evidence of wrongdoing, then fabricated "fraud" claims against him. She alleged that he was guilty over the valuation of his properties in connection with various loans.
Testimony during the trial showed that the banks that loaned Trump money were happy with the transactions, that all the loans were repaid in full, they made money from the deals and they would like to do them again.
Despite the evidence, Engoron, without a jury, wildly claimed Trump was guilty and owned in excess of $300 million in penalties. That grew to more than half a billion with interested, a threat Engoron made against the president that now has vanished.
Reports confirmed the ruling is a major loss for James, who ironically now is under investigation herself for fraud.
She's accused of misrepresenting her residents in order to obtain preferential mortgage loan treatments, including once when she allegedly characterized her father as a "spouse" and represented a five-apartment building she owns as having four apartments because that would give her a better interest rate.
Trump has charged that the case is a political attack by Democrats, like multiple other lawfare cases he faced, from Democrat prosecutors, in recent years, including wild claims he was engaged in an organized crime operation in Florida. Those other lawfare cases now have gone away.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
President Donald Trump has talked about his hopes for the afterlife, and his eternity, and a commentary at Not the Bee noted, "It isn't every day that you hear a U.S. president's thoughts on death and the afterlife."
His comments referenced his peacemaking work, for which multiple nominators already have suggested he be a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
"If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think that's a pretty – I want to try to get to heaven if possible. I hear I'm not doing well. I hear I'm really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons. I think I saved a lot of lives in India and Pakistan – they were going at it – planes were being shot down. That was going to maybe be a nuclear war if I let that go, and I did that through trade."
Online commenters pointed out that the Bible is quite specific on what is needed to reach heaven, and it's not based on works.
Jesus also famously said in Scripture: "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17 CSB)
But commenters also noted Trump apparently has come to faith only in recent years.
"Praying for Trump … to establish a very personal relationship with God through Jesus," said one.
"Those are some intense words from Trump," added another.
"He knows it's giving his heart to Jesus right? Some pastor needs to tell him this … ."
Yet another, "Who are we to judge who gets into heaven??? … The lord know his heart."
"Put your faith in Jesus and Heaven is yours. When you do this, good works for the right reasons will follow naturally. He's already doing the works. He needs the faith for Heaven. Someone share the Gospel with him."
Another added a very physical perspective, "No heaven for Trump for at least 15-20 years! … Sorry Mr. President, you're stuck with the rest of us for awhile."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Just two days after winning an incredible Powerball jackpot of $167 million, a Kentucky man is facing serious charges for allegedly kicking a Florida sheriff's deputy in the face.
James Farthing was celebrating his financial windfall with his girlfriend at the TradeWinds Resort in St. Pete Beach, Florida in April.
Reports say Farthing got into a heated argument with an Iowa man, and things escalated into a full-blown brawl.
When Pinellas County deputies stepped in to quell the violence, Farthing allegedly kicked one of the officers in the face near his right eye.
"He f***ing kicked me in the face, he's f***ing going!" the deputy said, as blood stains painted the floor.
Jacqueline Fightmaster, Farthing's girlfriend, told deputies "nothing" had happened, and she was arrested for disorderly intoxication, eventually pleading no contest and getting fined.
While the Iowa man involved in the initial scuffle was not charged, Farthing faces serious felony counts including battery on a law enforcement officer, simple battery, and resisting an officer without violence.
He has since pleaded not guilty.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
"We can no longer deliver water to the people," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced recently. "In every field, we are on the edge of the abyss. We have water problems, electricity problems, gas problems, money problems, inflation problems – where don't we have problems?"
Pezehkian's July 23 confession continued: "There is no longer any choice; everything is a matter of compulsion. I cannot avoid cutting the water, because I have no other option."
In Iran, each crisis enumerated by the nation's president carries the potential to erupt into a social explosion. Indeed, public anger over livelihood issues, water shortages and electricity blackouts is flaring up.
Media outlets close to the radical Islamic government write: "Prolonged, unplanned power cuts have disrupted citizens' lives. For example, in Tabriz, the situation has reached a point where people have been driven to the edge." (Shahr-e Bourse – July 23)
Another report stated: "While people are struggling with lengthy outages, government offices, banks and state organizations continue their consumption without restrictions. This blatant discrimination has doubled the anger of citizens." (Shams Azerbaijan – 23 July)
Alarming economic statistics
Alongside these warnings, economic figures paint a clear picture of worsening conditions in Iran. According to a Baharnews report of Aug. 7, the nation's GDP has fallen from over $600 billion last year to around $400 billion, and is still on course to drop to $300 billion. Such a trajectory signals widespread recession, shrinking investment, destruction of productive infrastructure and overall collapse of public trust in the country's economic future.
In such circumstances, governments typically try to manage crises through structural reforms or social support measures. But in Iran, what is happening instead is the continuation of repression and the closing of public space.
Sociological warnings and the politics of repression
In its Aug. 7 edition, Arman-e Emrooz daily, both in its news reports and an analytical piece by sociologist Emanollah Qaraei-Moghaddam, described the economy's critical state. Qaraei-Moghaddam warned that "the ever-worsening situation could lead to widespread youth uprisings."
This is not idle sociological analysis, but an accurate reflection of an ever-present reality that pulses through Iranian society: "The younger generation sees no bright horizon ahead, no hope for improvement through official channels."
For this reason, the Iranian regime has turned to executing individuals arrested on charges of being members of resistance units, in hopes of preventing the rising support for these groups.
According to the regime-linked Fararu website (Aug. 6): "For the first time in fifty years, Iran's economy has entered an era of infrastructure erosion," and "mega-challenges such as water, electricity, gas, pension funds, dust storms, land subsidence and gasoline imbalance are just the tip of the iceberg."
This state-run outlet presents "institutional and structural reforms" as the only way out – reforms that would mean limiting the dominance of institutions tied to the Supreme Leader and the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) over the economy and other spheres of life.
2 different pathways for structural change
Since the recent 12-day war with Israel, Iranian society has entered a phase that could be called the regime's moment of reckoning. Two main currents, each with a different vision for structural change in governance, have emerged:
Well-known political and civil figures – large segments of the regime's own base, including some clerics – have repeatedly stressed the need for transformation in the current political structure. They know well that without fundamental change, the radical theocratic regime is doomed to fall.
Thousands of resistance units across the country have emerged, mostly affiliated with the main opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), and form the backbone of organized resistance against the regime. They believe all branches of power – military, police, executive, judiciary and legislative – are concentrated in the Supreme Leader's hands, with his one and only uncrossable "red line" being his own personal survival. For that, he has no qualms about committing mass killings, as has happened repeatedly in Iran's recent history.
War or negotiation
The Iranian regime faces multiple domestic and international challenges:
Internationally, it must abandon uranium enrichment and permanently part ways with proxy forces that were once its strategic assets.
Domestically, it must gradually reduce the IRGC's dominance over the economy and politics and decrease the role of security forces in people's daily lives.
The problem is, internationally, abandoning current policies, whether completely or gradually, would be extremely costly for the regime. Over $2 trillion invested over decades in an ambitious and extremely costly nuclear program would be lost. Such a retreat would be akin to suicide for the regime. But if it refuses to retreat, it will be forced to accept war, even though, in Pezeshkian's own words, it lacks the capacity to wage one.
Domestically, even to preserve parts of the current structure, the regime would have to move, however slowly, toward more freedom. But could even these step-by-step retreats eventually tear open the suffocating net of repression that engulfs all of Iran?
The return of Ali Larijani
The return of Ali Larijani, once disqualified from the presidential race, as the powerful secretary of the Supreme National Security Council – the highest decision-making body in Iran (perhaps even above the government) – does not necessarily signal the regime's inclination toward moderation or policy change.
Nevertheless, some might interpret the designation as Khamenei's first step toward gradually moving to a full halt in uranium enrichment internationally. Domestically, it might be an attempt to bring back segments of the establishment that have distanced themselves and demanded structural reforms, by giving them a larger share, and thus securing his survival against the hard-core IRGC and security forces.
But Larijani's reinstatement might merely be a tactic to buy time in negotiations. The Supreme Leader is aware that without economic relief, the eruption of popular anger – like an unstoppable volcano – is on the way. His room to maneuver is now extremely limited, especially with the massive resistance gaining ground.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Rep. Jim McGovern, a Democrat from Massachusetts, has been in Congress for nearly three decades.
One would think this idea wouldn't have popped up immediately, but it did for him: Arresting the leader of a major world power that in many ways is in opposition to the United States – and see what happens.
But that's his idea.
McGovern, just as Russian President Vladimir Putin was arriving in Alaska for a summit with President Donald Trump, whose goal it is to end the killing in the Russia-Ukraine war, said on social media, "Trump rolls out the red carpet for a war criminal. On American soil. The U.S. government should be arresting Putin, not hosting him. Shameful and embarrassing."
The president has high hopes for the summit, explaining that the war, which he's worked to bring to halt since he took office, finally would begin winding down as a result of discussions this week.
However, he's not counting on anything, as he's promised consequences if Putin isn't willing to work on the plan.
A comment from the Blaze, about McGovern's rant, was short: "UNHINGED: Democrat Rep. Jim McGovern says the U.S. government should have arrested Putin in Alaska instead of trying to pursue peace talks."
McGovern has been in Congress since 1997, and his biography includes that he "played a central role in devising procedures the House adopted for the first impeachment of Donald Trump."
That, of course, failed, like the second did later, when the Senate refused to convict.
Social media commenters responded with, "Not familiar with that Democrat Representative, Jim McGovern, but I'm very happy he's insignificant."
Another said, "Put your partisan TDS aside long enough to pray for peace."
And, "Good thing this muppet isn't in charge of our foreign policy then. Nothing says 'diplomacy' like inviting a foreign leader to negotiate and arresting him on arrival. I'm sure that wouldn't ever start a war. At all."
And, "The most ignorant response to diplomacy in the history of thte entire world."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The Virginia governor has ordered the state police Bureau of Criminal Investigation to review allegations that officials at a high school arranged for, and paid for, abortions on minor girls.
Without even letting the parents know, which would be violation of state law as well as school policy.
Reports on Wednesday confirmed Gov. Glenn Youngkin has ordered Virginia State Police investigators to open a full criminal investigation into allegations "that Fairfax County Public Schools staff arranged for minors to receive abortions without parental consent.'
The allegations charge that school officials possibly "facilitated and paid for abortions for multiple minors," and used public funds.
"I am deeply concerned with the allegations that Fairfax County Public Schools officials arranged for minors to get abortions without parental consent and may have misused public funds to pay for them," Youngkin said. "I am directing the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation to open a full criminal investigation into the matter immediately."
Significantly, the investigation is to determine whether criminal charges are warranted in the situation.
The situation allegedly involves a school social worker and a principal who are accused of orchestrating "pressured abortions for two high school girls … One girl was five months pregnant and fled the abortion facility to save her baby's life."
School officials claimed they learned of the charges just recently, but reports confirm an audio recording from a whistleblower – a teacher – suggests there's been a years-long coverup.
Caitlin Connors, of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said, "This horrific scandal is breaking as Democrats and the abortion lobby are trying to end parental rights in Virginia. If Democrats win the general assembly in November, they will pass an abortion amendment ending parental consent. Their amendment will allow abusers, traffickers and irresponsible school officials to coerce girls into abortions without parents ever knowing. We must vote the Democrats out.
"We commend the brave whistleblower who documented raising concerns seven times, and we thank Gov. Youngkin for launching a criminal investigation, as FCPS clearly shouldn't be allowed to investigate themselves. These allegations are a parent's worst nightmare. It's horrifying that people who have been entrusted with educating children would push girls – one of whom was five months pregnant – to end the lives of their unborn children. These are girls who need support and protection – not silencing and cover-ups."
WorldNetDaily reported when the allegations surfaced that the situation developed at Centreville High School, and dates back to 2021.
The news first was revealed by the W.C. Dispatch Substack.
Accused are Carolina Dias, a social worker, and Principal Chad Lehman, who the girls insisted knew about the scandal.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
While President Donald Trump is famous for popularizing the term "fake news" with his permeating contempt for journalists who distort the truth, the commander in chief is now praising Chuck Todd after the former anchor of NBC's "Meet the Press" had some positive things to say about the commander in chief.
In a new interview with David Brody of CBN News, Todd said of Trump's historical impact: "I don't think we've had anybody have this much impact on the country since FDR … for culturally, in particular, certainly even in how our politics are conducted."
"Look, he wants to involve himself in everything," Todd continued, "including who the CEO of Intel should be. These are things that you and I know the previous Republican Party would have [said], 'How dare government tell business what to do?' And yet there's almost an acceptance. There's no outcry. So that's real change."
In reaction, Trump said on Truth Social: "Chuck Todd, formerly of NBC FAKE NEWS, in an interview with journalist David Brody. Wow, thank you Chuck.
"I always said that you were far better than the scum that runs the FAKE NEWS at NBC and, especially, Brian Roberts and 'Concast.' You are a Free Man now. Congratulations – Use your time well!"
This is not the first time Todd has spoken positively about Trump, as he said in June on Trump's ten-year anniversary of jumping into presidential politics: "You might say he'll just be a chapter in the history books, but I'd argue he'll be a long chapter."
"He'll be longer than most modern presidents because Trump didn't just change his party; he changed the job, he changed the expectations, and he's changed the culture. And that's probably the biggest impact he's made.
"In fact, Donald Trump's impact on American politics and society is unlike anything I've seen in my lifetime. It's greater than Obama, something I would not have conceded three years ago. It's greater than Clinton. It's greater even than Reagan."
Kevin O'Leary, the Emmy-award winning investor known as "Mr. Wonderful" on ABC's "Shark Tank," said he agrees Trump is the the most consequential president since FDR, "not because of the noise, but because of the policy."
"As an investor, that's all I care about. Deregulation in energy, momentum on stablecoin legislation, and aggressive economic action like reciprocal tariffs with China are all major moves," he continued.
"Whether you like Trump or not, he's getting real policy through faster than most presidents, and that's what fuels market confidence. America corrected itself after swinging too far left, and that self-correction is exactly what makes democracy work," O'Leary concluded.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
In a stunningly foul-mouthed rant, Bravo actress and podcaster Jennifer Welch is calling for white supporters of President Donald Trump to be banned from Mexican, Chinese, and Indian restaurants.
On her "I've Had It" podcast, Welch in graphic terms slammed white voters who side with the president's border policies, but then dine at ethnic eateries across America.
"I've had it with white people that triple Trumped that have the nerve and the audacity to walk into a Mexican restaurant, a Chinese restaurant, an Indian restaurant, go to a gay hairdresser," Welch said.
"I don't think you should be able to enjoy anything but Cracker Barrel."
Her use of "triple Trump" refers to the president's stances on illegal immigration, diversity and LGBT rights.
Welch's rage continued: "If you wanna triple Trump and you wanna brow beat DEI, brow beat gay people and you wanna brow beat black people, as you've been doing for 400 years."
"You want to brow beat this generation of immigrants that come over here and open up businesses and honestly pay their taxes."
"You wanna demonize them and call them rapists and felons and all this when the felon is the tiny weeny piece of sh** Cankles McTaco t*ts at the top of the ticket."
"I have f***ing had it from top to bottom. White people who triple Trumped should be boycotted, banned from enjoying the best thing that America has to offer which is multiculturalism."
"Get your fat a**es out of the American restaurant and get your fat a**es over to Cracker Barrel because nobody wants to see your f***ing smug ass teeny weeny pink arm big gut around."
"Nobody wants to see that sh**, no one."
Reaction on social media had commenters calling Welch angry, demented and delusional.
In April, Welch made headlines during an interview with former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, as she declared MAGA voters were was obsessed with genitalia.
"Do you know who talks about trans people more than anybody? MAGA," she ranted.
"MAGA is the most genital obsessed political party I have ever seen."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The Pacific Legal Foundation is going to court in California over a city's demand for $55,000 in fees for a landowner to put up a modest home on his own land.
"Under the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, no government agency may take private property for a public use without paying just compensation," a new court filing in U.S. district court in California charges.
"As a corollary to this rule, a government agency imposing a land-use permit condition that requires the dedication of private property, including money, 'must make some sort of individualized determination that the required dedication is related both in nature and extent to the impact of the proposed development,'" it continues. "Specifically, the agency must carry the burden of showing that the exaction bears an 'essential nexus' and 'rough proportionality' to the public impacts of the proposed project, lest the exaction be nothing more than an 'out-and-out plan of extortion.'"
The fight is being brought on behalf of Wesley Yu, who sued East Palo Alto over its housing ordinance that purports to force property owners to "surrender their land or pay steep fees just to build homes on their own property."
The city's demand is that Yu build an "affordable housing" unit on his own property with a permanent deed restriction.
Or, in the alternative, he can pay $54,891 in "fees" on his "modest home and guest unit."
"The government can't hold building permits hostage and force families to choose between giving up control of their property or paying unconstitutional fees," said David Deerson, an attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation. "Wesley just wants to build a home where his daughter can play safely and grandparents can visit comfortably—that's the American Dream. Instead, they are facing government extortion."
The legal team explained Yu and his wife live with their 3-year-old daughter in a small, 1,000-square-foot home in East Palo Alto.
They need more room.
So they proposed building, on an adjacent lot they own, a new family home and detached accessory dwelling unit.
"The lawsuit argues the ordinance violates constitutional property rights established in Supreme Court cases including Cedar Point v. Hassid and Nollan v. California Coastal Commission. The Yu family's project would increase housing supply, not reduce it, yet the city demands mitigation as if the family were causing harm," the legal team charged.
The case, in federal court in San Francisco, seeks a court judgement that the city ordinances are unconstitutional conditions, an injunction prohibiting enforcement of the rules, and an award of costs and fees.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
For the first time, Americans can see exactly how a major U.S. employer outsources American jobs, not in vague terms, but through formal documentation. A binding contract between Prudential Financial Inc. and Cognizant Technology Solutions lays out a step-by-step playbook for eliminating American jobs and shifting the work to foreign workers overseas.
This isn't theory, it's in writing. The document provides rare black-and-white evidence of how U.S.-based work is "transitioned" out of the country. While Americans have heard stories about being forced to train their replacements, this agreement reveals the actual process behind those headlines: how Prudential worked with Cognizant to plan, schedule and execute a full transfer of work to offshore teams, with American employees pushed out in the process.
The devil is in the details: The betrayal in black and white
Section 1.1(b) of the agreement openly states that the work previously handled by Prudential employees would be "eliminated" and reassigned to Cognizant. These weren't new jobs. They were the same roles Americans had been doing – application support, software maintenance, reporting – all now classified as functions to be transitioned out.
The language is careful but clear. Cognizant wouldn't just be stepping in to help; it was there to take over. The contract also gave Cognizant the right to perform any "incidental" tasks needed to complete the work, even if not spelled out directly. In other words, it had wide authority to expand its control over operations once embedded.
The built-in replacement plan
The contract's Transition Services section describes the process by which Cognizant would assume responsibility for Prudential's internal IT operations. A detailed transition plan was required, complete with milestone dates and task lists, all designed to avoid disruptions to business continuity. But what the contract avoids saying outright is what's plainly obvious: This plan definitively phases out American workers in favor of a lower-cost, offshore workforce.
This wasn't a case of hiring extra help. It was a direct replacement strategy. Cognizant was required to observe how Prudential's in-house team handled the work, copy it, and then eventually take it over – permanently. The agreement mandated a phased approach so the transfer wouldn't appear sudden. But behind the corporate phrasing was the harsh reality: The American team had to teach the offshore team how to do their jobs before being let go.
American workers forced to hand over their jobs
The agreement also makes it clear that Prudential would manage the entire transition internally. The company appointed project leads and gave Cognizant open access to internal systems, documents and staff. These staff were expected to help onboard the new offshore teams. But the contract offered them no job protection, no bonus, no role in the future structure. Their job was to help with the transition … and then leave.
Foreign labor in, American labor out
From the very first deliverables listed, it's clear what this contract was meant to do. The top priority: "Set up an offshore development center," or ODC. That's a dedicated office or facility in another country, in India in this case, where a foreign team will take over work that was once done in the U.S. This ODC becomes the new home base for handling core operations.
Right after that came the requirement to build and carry out a "knowledge transition plan," which is the process of transferring everything the American workers knew to the new offshore team. These steps weren't optional, they were the foundation of the entire deal. The rest – maintenance, bug fixes, reporting and support – were tasks already being done by U.S. employees. Now, those responsibilities were being prepared for transfer abroad.
Engineered dependence on foreign labor
The contract also included a unique clause about "non-billable" consulting hours. For every dollar Prudential spent, it received free consulting hours from Cognizant. But here's the catch: Those hours were heavily weighted toward India-based services. Once Prudential spent over $1 million in a month, it earned up to 800 hours of free offshore consulting, far more than what it would get from U.S.-based support. That structure created a clear incentive: The more Prudential outsourced to India, the more "free" services it received. The longer it stayed with Cognizant's offshore model, the deeper its dependence became.
They even set up what's called a Center of Excellence, or CoE, a permanent team focused on building deep expertise around Prudential's systems. This team, made up mostly of Indian business analysts and engineers, was responsible for mastering the technology, guiding decisions and supporting long-term operations. Although the contract labeled this effort "non-billable," meaning Prudential didn't pay extra for it, the long-term effect was significant. It wasn't just about supporting the transition, it was about anchoring control overseas.
The transition team: Locked out for good
As part of the transition, Cognizant assigned two full-time managers: an account manager and a transition manager. These weren't back-office roles, they were embedded into Prudential's leadership chain, given the responsibility to oversee the transition and manage future staffing. They represented Cognizant's permanent leadership presence inside Prudential's operations.While Cognizant controls the operation, Prudential still directs staffing decisions, and there is a clause prohibiting Cognizant from rehiring former Prudential employees unless Prudential explicitly allows it. That means even if laid-off American workers wanted to come back through the vendor, they couldn't. Their exit is final and contractually reinforced.
That clause closed the door on U.S. workers returning under the new model, even if they were qualified. They had trained their replacements and that was the end of the road – for them.
The technology transfer and foreign control
Another section lays out the software licensing structure: Prudential granted Cognizant, including its India-based affiliates, full legal rights to use its proprietary software systems to perform services. That meant Indian offshore teams were authorized to access and operate systems containing personally identifiable information (PII) and sensitive financial data tied to Prudential's American clients. Cognizant assumed liability for its offshore teams' use of the software, but the control and the data were now fully remote.