The Restructuring of Legal and Compliance Roles at OKX Continues
The cryptocurrency exchange OKX is undergoing significant changes in its legal and compliance departments, with the recent departure of global general counsel, Melissa Muehlfeld.
Background
Muehlfeld initially joined OKcoin, the U.S. arm of OKX, in May 2022 as deputy general counsel. She was later promoted to the position of global general counsel in August 2024.
Recent Developments
Following a settlement of half a billion dollars with the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) earlier this year, OKX has seen a shakeup in its top legal and compliance leadership. This includes the departure of chief legal officer Mauricio Beugelmans and head of compliance Vanessa Zhang.
As part of the restructuring efforts, OKX has brought in Linda Lacewell, the former superintendent and head of the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), as its new chief legal officer (CLO).
Company Response
According to a source familiar with the situation, Lacewell is spearheading the restructuring of OKX’s legal and compliance divisions. When reached for comment, an OKX spokesman stated, “As a matter of company policy, we do not comment on all people that join and/or depart the company.”
Despite multiple requests for comment, Melissa Muehlfeld has not responded.