Florida officers sue Ben Affleck and Matt Damon over film ‘The Rip’

Two South Florida police officers claim the Ben Affleck and Matt Damon film "The Rip" used too many real-life details in a fictional story, harming their reputations.

admin May 12, 2026 2 minutes read

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 13: (L-R) Ben Affleck and Matt Damon attend Netflix’s “The Rip” New York Premiere at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on January 13, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/WireImage)

MIAMI, Fla. – Two South Florida police officers claim the Ben Affleck and Matt Damon film “The Rip” used too many real-life details in a fictional story, harming their reputations.

Miami-Dade defamation lawsuit

What we know:

Sergeants Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office filed the lawsuit in Miami federal court. They are suing Artists Equity for compensatory and punitive damages, along with a public retraction. The officers allege the film “The Rip” portrays characters based on them committing crimes like stealing drug money and murdering a federal agent.

Artists Equity legal response

What we don’t know:

The court filings do not list the specific amount of money the officers are seeking in the lawsuit. Additionally, an attorney for Artists Equity declined to comment on the ongoing litigation Monday. It is also unclear which specific film characters the plaintiffs believe are supposed to represent them.

Real narcotics case inspiration

The backstory:

“The Rip” was inspired by a real 2016 investigation where police found more than $21 million in a Miami Lakes home. The film’s creators worked with Miami-Dade Police Capt. Chris Casiano as a technical advisor to understand the dynamics of narcotics units. Santana was the lead detective on the real case, while Smith was the supervising sergeant.

Production company defense

The other side:

Leita Walker, an attorney for Artists Equity, said the film does not portray real people, which is noted in a disclaimer in the credits. In a March 19 letter, Walker argued there is no way to connect the fictional characters to the plaintiffs since they are not named in the movie and were not involved in the production.