Two South Florida sheriff’s sergeants have filed a defamation lawsuit against a film production company owned by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, alleging the Netflix action thriller “The Rip” blurred the line between fiction and real-life law enforcement events in a way that damaged their reputations.
Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana, both sergeants with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, say the film incorporates detailed elements from a 2016 narcotics investigation in Miami Lakes in which authorities discovered more than $21 million tied to an alleged marijuana trafficker. The officers claim that while they are not named in the movie, their roles in the real investigation make them identifiable to colleagues, friends, and the public.
“The Rip” portrays Affleck and Damon as South Florida officers who discover a large cache of cash during a drug-related investigation. The lawsuit argues that the film’s depiction of events and law enforcement conduct has led others to believe the fictional characters are based on the plaintiffs, harming their professional standing.
The complaint alleges the film includes dramatic criminal conduct involving officers, including theft of seized money, violence against colleagues, and coordination with criminal organizations, which the plaintiffs say has fueled false perceptions about their own actions and integrity.
The production company has previously stated that the film is fictionalized, includes a disclaimer, and does not depict real individuals or a true account of the 2016 case. It has also questioned how the plaintiffs are specifically identifiable within the story’s characters.
Smith and Santana are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, along with legal fees and a public correction. The lawsuit does not specify a dollar amount.
“The Rip,” directed by Joe Carnahan, was released in January on Netflix and has received generally positive reviews.
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