Michelle Ann Gitlitz
Special Counsel
Michell Ann Gitlitz is Special Counsel with Arktouros PLLC. She is also General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of a global payments company and previously served as the Global Head of the Blockchain and Digital Asset Practice Groups at two AmLaw 100 law firms. Michelle specializes in financial crimes compliance and defense, with a focus on cryptocurrency, payments systems, and decentralized finance. She has designed and reviewed state and federal AML and cybersecurity compliance programs for cryptocurrency exchangers and payment services companies. She also assists companies in applying for state money transmission licenses and assists with compliance for license holders. Michelle is a frequent speaker, writer, and collaborator with federal and state regulators and legislators on money transmission and payments issues. Michelle co-authored the leading work on virtual currency money transmission entitled “An Introduction to Virtual Currency Money Transmission Regulation” published in Global Legal Insight's Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Regulation treatise. She is also the author of the forthcoming book, Reimagining Payments: The Business Case for Digital Currencies (Fall 2023). Michelle is also a New York State court-appointed receiver in the case NYAG v. Coinseed (Index No. 450366/2021) with special powers to locate and safeguard investments made in a defunct cryptocurrency platform.
