Two Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies have filed a defamation lawsuit against actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon over their Netflix film “The Rip.”
The lawsuit claims the movie used details from a real 2016 drug investigation and portrayed the officers as corrupt.
Deputies Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana filed the suit against Artists Equity, the production company founded by Affleck and Damon.
The officers claim the movie closely mirrors a real 2016 Miami-Dade narcotics case in which more than $21 million in cash was seized from a Miami Lakes home.
Although Smith and Santana are not named in the movie, the lawsuit argues that specific details from the real investigation make it easy for viewers to connect them to the fictional officers.
They say the film harmed their personal and professional reputations.
In the film, Affleck and Damon play South Florida police officers who discover millions in cartel cash before becoming involved in corruption and violence.
The deputies claim the movie falsely suggests they stole money and acted unethically during the real investigation.
The lawsuit also says the officers sent a cease-and-desist letter before the movie was released in January 2026. However, the film was released anyway.
Lawyers for Artists Equity denied the claims, saying The Rip is a fictional drama inspired by true events and does not portray real people.
The movie also includes a disclaimer stating that the story is dramatized.
Directed by Joe Carnahan, The Rip premiered on Netflix in January 2026.
The story was partly inspired by accounts from former Miami-Dade Police captain Chris Casiano, who worked as a technical adviser on the film.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
