Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are being sued by two Miami-Dade sheriff’s officers who claim the actors’ Netflix film The Rip improperly mirrored a real-life investigation tied to their department.
Officers Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana filed the lawsuit on Wednesday, accusing Artists Equity and Falco Productions of defamation and emotional distress over the movie, which debuted on Netflix earlier this year. The complaint alleges the film used details from a 2016 narcotics raid in Miami Lakes, where authorities recovered nearly $22 million in hidden cash and contraband.
“The Film and its promotional content imply misconduct, poor judgment, and unethical behavior in connection with a real law-enforcement operation,” the lawsuit states.
Although Smith and Santana are not named in the movie, the lawsuit claims the similarities were sufficiently recognizable to people familiar with the investigation to associate them with the fictional officers portrayed in the film. The Rip was promoted as being “inspired by true events” and follows a group of Miami narcotics officers after they uncover millions of dollars during a raid.
The complaint also disputes the involvement of former officer Christopher Casiano, who allegedly inspired parts of the story despite not participating in the original operation.
According to the filing, another officer later contacted Smith and Santana on behalf of writer-director Joe Carnahan and allegedly offered future consulting opportunities to “make it right.”
