Forrest James is the Subject of a Six-Figure Dispute

Forrest James (CRD #: 1263114), a broker registered with Emerson Equity, is facing an investor dispute. This disclosure appears on his BrokerCheck record, accessed on March 28, 2024. Investors may have engaged his services through Irvine Advisors. 

Investor Allegations

On January 31, 2024, an investor alleged that Forrest James recommended unsuitable investments and made misrepresentations. The investor is seeking $444,000. 

FINRA Rule 2111 

FINRA Rule 2111 requires brokers to evaluate whether an investment fits their investor’s financial goals.

Some common violations of this rule include:

• Excessive trading, which violates the need for quantitative suitability. This means that the number of trades must suit an investor’s goals. Excessive trading is also known as “churning.” 
• Recommendations of unsuitable investment strategies. For instance, overconcentration of securities in a certain stock or sector is typically unsuitable due to the degree of risk.
• Recommendations of high-risk or illiquid investments. These investments may lead to high fees for the investor.

Investors who rely on brokers for recommendations may be able to recover their losses by pursuing FINRA arbitration.

Misrepresentation 

FINRA Rule 2020 forbids the use of deceptive, manipulative, and otherwise fraudulent methods to influence the purchase and sale of securities. The misrepresentation or omission of material facts violates this rule.

Background Information 

Forrest James has passed the following exams: 

• Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination 
• Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination 
• SIE – Securities Industry Essentials Examination 
• Series 7 General Securities Representative Examination
• Series 22 Direct Participation Program Representative Examination 
• Series 3 National Commodity Futures Examination 
• Series 24 General Securities Representative Examination 

He is a registered broker in 25 states and is a registered investment adviser in California. 

During his 37 years of experience, Forrest James has registered with six firms: 

• Emerson Equity (CRD #: 130032) 
• Mapleton Capital Management (CRD #: 122230) 
• Ocean Park Capital Management (CRD #: 134517) 
• Ari Financial Services (CRD #: 137608) 
• Mapleton Capital Management (CRD #: 122230) 
• The Investment Center (CRD #: 17839) 
• Prudential Securities Incorporated (CRD #: 7471) 

Kurta Law Can Help 

If you have worked with Forrest James and have concerns about your investments, do not hesitate to contact us at 877-600-0098 or info@kurtalawfirm.com for a free consultation. 

For nearly 20 years, Kurta Law has advocated for investors to recover their investment losses from brokers and brokerage firms. Kurta Law is a nationally recognized law firm that exclusively represents investors against brokers and brokerage firms on a contingency basis. This means that the firm only earns a fee if our securities attorneys recover money on your behalf. Do not let securities fraud go unchecked. Start your recovery process today.