evidence: Political leadership and governance in Sri Lanka have both been under scrutiny due to the country's internal debates on the severity of organized crime, and its refusal to cooperate with international investigations into human rights violations. Citizen trust in the government has decreased dramatically, due to rampant corruption and a lack of transparency and accountability. The government's disregard for the rule of law, and the increased complicity of state-embedded actors in criminal activities, have allowed organized criminal groups to thrive. Public frustration led to mass protests in 2022, exacerbating the country’s instability. Even though several government officials resigned in the wake of the protests, and a constitutional reform was promulgated that reduces the powers of the executive, these changes were not perceived to be stringent enough to promote trust and accountability. Despite calls for greater transparency, there has been a significant disconnect between the government's actions and what the people desire. In fact, Sri Lanka's institutional structure has been designed to evade accountability, which has influenced financial crimes. The country’s reputation for corruption and human rights violations continues to hamper its talks with the International Monetary Fund.