Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's Netflix Film 'The Rip' Hit with Lawsuit from Miami-Dade Officers

What began as a crime thriller inspired by real events has now sparked a legal battle in court as two Miami-Dade officers accuse the Hollywood stars' Netflix film of crossing the line between fiction and reality.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's production company has been hit with a lawsuit from two Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office officers who claim the actors' recent Netflix movie "The Rip" unfairly depicted them through fictional law enforcement characters inspired by a real-life drug investigation.

Officers Claim Film Damaged Their Reputations

Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana filed the complaint on May 6, accusing Damon, 55, and Affleck, 53, along with their production companies Artists Equity and Falco Productions, of defamation, defamation by implication, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Although neither officer is named in the movie, the lawsuit alleges that the film contains enough identifiable details for viewers familiar with the 2016 case to associate them with the fictional characters.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon during Bring Change to Mind Revels and Revelations Celebration at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture on April 27, 2026, in San Francisco, California. | Source: Getty Images

According to the complaint obtained by PEOPLE and reviewed by Entertainment Weekly, Smith and Santana alleged that "The Rip" portrayed law enforcement officers in a damaging light by implying misconduct and unethical behavior connected to a real police operation. The lawsuit states:

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon appeared as Miami narcotics officers in a still from "The Rip" shared in a post dated September 9, 2025. | Source: Instagram/netflixpt

The officers further claimed that the film borrowed heavily from a June 29, 2016, narcotics investigation in Miami Lakes, Florida, during which police recovered nearly $22 million hidden inside a home.

The complaint alleged that the movie used "distinctive details" from the real case, making it easy for people familiar with the investigation to connect the fictional story to the officers involved.

Ben Affleck and the film's narcotics team gathered outside a home during a tense scene in "The Rip." | Source: Instagram/netflixpt

Smith and Santana argued that the similarities between the movie and the real-life operation caused "substantial harm to their personal and professional reputations."

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon at the world premiere of Amazon MGM Studios' "Crime 101" at The United Theater on Broadway on February 10, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

The lawsuit also alleged that family members and colleagues questioned whether the officers improperly used seized money for expensive purchases and private school tuition after watching the film.

The complaint specifically highlighted scenes in which fictional officers engage in questionable conduct, including moments where characters bend police procedure and one scene involving the killing of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent.

'The Rip' Was Marketed as Inspired by True Events

"The Rip," which debuted on Netflix in January, starred Damon as Lt. Dane Dumars and Affleck as Detective Sgt. J. D. Byrne. The crime drama followed a group of Miami narcotics officers who discovered $20 million in cartel money before suspicion and corruption spread throughout the department.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon at "The Rip" world premiere on January 13, 2026, in New York. | Source: Getty Images for Netflix

The movie was promoted as being "inspired by true events," a detail that became central to the officers' complaint. The lawsuit argued that, aside from the large cash seizure itself, the events portrayed in the film "did not happen."

The complaint also challenged statements made by writer-director Joe Carnahan, who told Netflix's Tudum in January that the film stemmed from "a deeply personal experience" connected to a friend who served as head of tactical narcotics for the Miami-Dade Police Department.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon sat alongside fellow officers during an operation in "The Rip." | Source: Instagram/netflixpt

According to the lawsuit, former Miami-Dade officer Christopher Casiano was inaccurately connected to the real incident despite allegedly having no involvement in the actual investigation.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck searched through hidden compartments in a suspenseful moment from "The Rip." | Source: Instagram/netflixpt

The officers additionally claimed that their attorneys sent a cease-and-desist letter to the filmmakers in December 2025 objecting to the movie's trailer and marketing materials.

After the film's release, the lawsuit alleged that another officer who worked on the production as a consultant contacted Smith and Santana on behalf of Carnahan to apologize and allegedly offered future consulting opportunities to "make it right."

Representatives for Damon, Affleck, and Artists Equity did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Netflix, which was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, also declined to comment.

Smith and Santana are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, attorney fees, and a public retraction that would include a disclaimer added to the film.