About james brandolino
Real Stories—Real Experience—Real Solutions
That Protects Investor Assets From Fraudsters.
​​​James Brandolino is the founder and CEO of Investment Fraud Solutions, and his story begins like any other. After earning his Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago, he gained valuable securities and futures brokerage experience managing retail trading desks, client service, and back-office and floor operations. His bullish career trajectory pointed to a meaningful career in the financial services industry. However, when James was confronted with trading losses as a new Chicago Board of Trade member, his core values were tested, and regrettably, that was where his tumultuous journey began.
In June 1999, James walked away from his six-figure salary as a Trade Desk Manager with a global derivatives brokerage firm to head an independent futures brokerage office. He wanted to better service clients trading a U.S. Treasury Bond futures trading system he had developed and ultimately manage client assets. In February 2003, with a three-year profitable track record under his belt, James decided to prove his worth as a futures trader and professionally manage investor funds. He became a Chicago Board of Trade member and launched a proprietary futures fund.
James’ transition to the trading floor, however, wasn’t easy. His once-positive investment performance quickly turned negative. All his clients were friends, family, and loyal brokerage clients, placing James in a difficult position: disclose the losses and risk his investors withdrawing funds, resulting in having to close the fund or alter monthly statements to “buy” time and recoup the losses.
Painfully afraid to disclose his trading losses, James panicked and made the worst life decision—he falsified the first month of his clients’ performance statements, believing he could return the losses. Sadly, he could not.
From there, everything spiraled. One bad decision led to another: James subsidized his clients’ trading losses with his net worth, and the situation was convoluted into $3.8 million in fraud. James’ fraud lasted for seven-plus years, even though he knew exactly what he was doing and that it was wrong. At the time, he truly believed he could recoup the losses without anyone finding out. James realized he had to come clean when no one ever found out. He would never get his clients’ money back, and it was game over.
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On the 6th of January 2011, James walked into Chicago’s Dirksen Federal Building, accompanied by his criminal attorney. With his heart beating out of his chest, James voluntarily confessed his fraud to former Assistant U.S. Attorney, The Honorable Samuel Cole, and FBI Special Agent Brent Potter. Both were blindsided by the honesty of this man who had never been under any form of investigation by any Federal or State Law Enforcement or U.S. Regulatory Agency. James openly pled guilty to one count of mail fraud—sending false financial statements through the U.S. Mail—and served six-and-a-half years in federal prison. He turned his sentence into an opportunity to pinpoint the root causes of investment fraud by analyzing hundreds of Federal and State investment fraud cases via Bloomberg BNA and LexisNexis, along with forensic accounting and fraud examination textbooks. He also interviewed dozens of fellow fraudsters to identify the copious clever tactics they used to defraud innocent people and entities.
James’ punishment swiftly evolved into his passion, and he began to pursue a career as an anti-investment fraud advocate. Using the knowledge he’d gained during his sentence, James designed a robust risk model identifying over one hundred direct and indirect warning signs leading to possible fraudulent investment activity. James continues to utilize this model today in his consulting practice team's Red Flag Reports (RFRs). ​​​​
Today, James is a dedicated investment fraud prevention expert focused on protecting the assets of high-net-worth individuals and professional athletes. His mission spans the entire investment spectrum, tackling fraud from small-scale unauthorized operators to licensed financial professionals and institutions. With billions lost annually to fraudsters, James is resolute in his fight against this pervasive issue.
Through dynamic presentations and workshops, James educates investors, accountants, legal professionals, and financial experts on fraud awareness and prevention. His expertise is bolstered by graduate certificates in Forensic and Investigative Accounting and Financial Fraud Examination from Saint Xavier University, Chicago. These credentials enhance his capacity to safeguard clients' wealth and empower others with effective fraud prevention strategies.
James' work is crucial in an era where sophisticated scams continue to evolve, making his role in protecting investors and raising awareness more vital than ever.