Matt Damon, Ben Affleck's production house sued by narcotics officers over portrayal in 'The Rip'

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are facing legal trouble after two real-life Miami-Dade narcotics officers filed a defamation lawsuit over their The Rip, claiming the movie falsely portrays them as corrupt police officers.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Florida by officers Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana, who were involved in a 2016 drug bust that uncovered nearly $22 million in cash hidden inside orange buckets behind a false wall in a Miami Lakes home. The officers allege that the Netflix thriller, which was marketed as “inspired by true events,” borrowed heavily from their case while depicting officers engaged in theft, cartel dealings and murder.

The complaint names Artists Equity, the production company founded by Damon and Affleck, along with co-producer Falco Pictures. The officers are seeking unspecified damages for defamation, defamation by implication and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

According to the filing, Smith and Santana say people who knew about the real investigation easily connected them to the fictional characters in the film. The officers claim that family members, colleagues and prosecutors questioned them after watching the movie and its trailer, asking which characters they were based on and suggesting they had kept some of the seised money.

The officers also allege they sent a cease-and-desist letter before the movie’s January 2026 release, requesting changes to the film and its disclaimer, but the project was released without modifications.

Netflix, which distributed the film, is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Neither Damon nor Affleck has publicly commented on the legal action.

Directed by Joe Carnahan, The Rip stars Damon and Affleck as Miami police officers whose trust begins to unravel after they discover millions of dollars in cash during a raid. The film premiered on Netflix in January 2026.