Miami Police Sergeants Sue Matt Damon, Ben Affleck Over 'The Rip' Movie Portraying Them as Corrupt

Two Miami police sergeants who led a record $22 million drug bust have filed a federal lawsuit against the makers of the 2026 movie 'The Rip.' The suit accuses the Matt Damon and Ben Affleck film of falsely portraying them as corrupt officers based on their real case.

The lawsuit targets Artists Equity, the production company founded by Damon and Affleck, and Falco Pictures, another producer. Netflix, which distributed the film, is not named as a defendant.

'The Rip' was promoted as inspired by true events, including the Miami-Dade narcotics unit's discovery of $21.9 million hidden behind a false wall in orange buckets. The lawsuit argues that the film's central plot of criminal misconduct by the officers is entirely made up.

In 2016, investigators seized the cash at the home of a gardening supply store owner suspected in a marijuana trafficking ring. It marked the largest cash seizure in the history of the Miami-Dade Police Department, now known as the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.

The movie shows narcotics unit members suspected of stealing some of the money for personal gain. It also features a fictional DEA agent involved in murdering a Miami police lieutenant, who is later killed by Affleck's character without due process.

The lawsuit claims the film incorporated enough real details to harm the reputations of sergeants Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana. Those include the location, the false wall, orange buckets for the cash, and a loaded Tech 9 firearm found with the money.

Smith supervised the real investigation. Santana was the lead detective and has since been promoted to sergeant. The movie does not use their names, but the suit alleges Damon and Affleck's characters are based on them.

After the trailer released, a county prosecutor contacted one of the officers to ask if any theft allegations had surfaced in the case, saying his office would investigate. The officers report facing questions about how many buckets they kept, whether they used stolen money for home improvements, and the lieutenant's murder.

'I can’t believe you killed another cop,' a county prosecutor told one of the plaintiffs after the movie's release, according to the lawsuit.

The film also credited a department member with no link to the case who was paid as a consultant.

Smith and Santana seek damages over $75,000 for defamation and emotional distress. The suit criticizes Hollywood's pattern of negative police portrayals amid nationwide struggles with hiring and retention.

Damon and Affleck told Howard Stern that police are underappreciated and underfunded while promoting the movie.

Before suing, the officers demanded a public retraction, a prominent disclaimer, or an end to distribution. Producers responded that the film is fictional, includes a disclaimer, and features no real people.