Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s latest crime drama is making headlines for reasons that have nothing to do with Netflix ratings. Two Miami-Dade law enforcement officers have filed a lawsuit claiming “The Rip” unfairly links them to corruption despite the film’s fictionalized storyline.
The legal battle centers on the movie’s connection to a real police operation that uncovered millions of dollars in cash nearly a decade ago.
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are under fire for portraying corrupt cops in The Rip
According to court filings cited by RadarOnline, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office sergeants Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana have sued Artists Equity, the production company founded by Affleck and Damon, along with co-producer Falco Pictures.
The officers argue that “The Rip” damaged their reputations by portraying police misconduct tied to events they say closely resemble a real investigation they were involved in.
Released by Netflix in January, “The Rip” follows a group of Miami-Dade narcotics officers who discover millions in cartel money. As the story unfolds, members of the unit come under suspicion for allegedly stealing part of the cash haul. The film was marketed as being inspired by true events.
According to the lawsuit, those events include a 2016 raid in Miami Lakes that uncovered approximately $21.9 million hidden inside five-gallon buckets at a property connected to a suspected marijuana trafficker. Smith reportedly supervised the operation, while Santana helped execute the raid.
Although neither officer is named in the film, the lawsuit claims key details from the real case were incorporated into the plot. As a result, they argue viewers could wrongly assume they were connected to wrongdoing.
“The film and its promotional content imply misconduct, poor judgment, and unethical behavior,” the complaint states, alleging harm to both officers’ professional standing and credibility within law enforcement circles.
The lawsuit further claims the filmmakers declined requests to issue a public retraction or take corrective action.
Attorneys representing Artists Equity and Falco Pictures strongly disagree. In a response included with the complaint, they argued that The Rip uses fictional names, settings, and storylines. They also pointed to the film’s disclaimer, which states the project is a dramatization and not intended to depict real individuals.
TELL US – SHOULD FILMS INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS HAVE MORE RESPONSIBILITY TO DISTANCE FICTIONAL CHARACTERS FROM REAL PEOPLE?
Originally reported by Vanshika Vasundhare Singh for Reality Tea
