Netflix
The Miami police officers who allegedly inspired Netflix thriller The Rip are suing moviemakers Ben Affleck and Matt Damon over the way in which they were portrayed.
Written and directed by Joe Carnahan, The Rip is a tale of corruption and betrayal within the Miami-Dade Police Department.
The Netflix film stars producers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as a pair of Miami detectives who discover $20 million of cartel cash in a safe house.
The story is believed to have been inspired by real-life cops Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana, and specifically their seizure of more than $21 million in June 2016. They are now brining a lawsuit against production company Artists Equity, which was founded by Affleck and Damon.
Cops suing Matt Damon and Ben Affleck for “substantial harm” to reputations
Netflix
According to Entertainment Weekly – which has seen the complaint – the officers say that while they aren’t mentioned by name in the film, they are so clearly associated with the story that it has caused “substantial harm to their personal and professional reputations.”
That’s because the movie and its trailers and adverts “imply misconduct, poor judgment, and unethical behavior in connection with a real law enforcement operation.”
Netflix isn’t named as a defendant in the suit, but Affleck and Damon’s ‘Falco Productions’ is, being accused of “defamation per se” and “defamation by implication.”
Smith and Santana have also brought a claim for “intentional infliction of emotional stress.”
They claim that: “the film’s use of unique, non-generic details of the June 29, 2016, investigation – combined with its Miami-Dade setting and portrayal of a narcotics team – creates a reasonable inference that the officers depicted are Plaintiffs.”
Police previously sent “cease and desist” to The Rip filmmakers
Lawyers outline multiple moments in the movie where police procedure isn’t followed, and claim friends, family, and colleagues believe they “must have used seized funds to complete personal property improvements, purchase vehicles and vessels, and afford private schooling for their children.”
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The complaint claims they sent those behind the film a “cease and desist” order in December 2025, and were told in January of 2026 – after The Rip had been released – that their concerns were “unfounded,” because the movie “did not expressly name Sergeant Smith and there was no implication that the Plaintiffs engaged in any misconduct in the film.”
The officers are seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees, as well as a public retraction and correction, including “the addition of a prominent disclaimer” to the film.
Representatives for Affleck, Damon, and Artists Equity did not respond to EW’s request for comment.
The Rip is now streaming, while you can head here to see where it places on our best thrillers on Netflix list.
