Wanda James

Wanda James has not been convicted of or indicted for any crimes. Her career has been marked by the following documented controversies: In 2021, James entered into an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division after her company, Simply Pure Colorado LLC, failed an underage compliance check in 2019. The agreement was not an admission of a violation and involved no fines. In 2025, the University of Colorado Board of Regents censured James following an investigation into an alleged conflict of interest. The board concluded she acted against the university's interests by publicly advocating to defund a CU-led public health campaign that she deemed racist. She remains a regent but is currently barred from committee assignments and official university event invitations. Additionally, reports indicate that her flagship company, Simply Pure Colorado LLC, was dissolved in 2026, and she has been involved in multiple business entities that became delinquent or dissolved. In 2020, she faced a Denver District Court judgment exceeding $202,000 in favor of a former investor. The status of a $150,000 taxpayer-funded loan awarded to her company in 2023 remains under inquiry following the company's dissolution.