Miami cops sue over Matt Damon, Ben Affleck ‘true events’ film, claim it falsely paints them as corrupt

Two Miami constabulary sergeants down a historical $22 cardinal cause bust person filed a national suit implicit the 2026 movie "The Rip," saying the Matt Damon and Ben Affleck movie falsely portrays them arsenic corrupt cops based connected their existent case.

The suit names Artists Equity, a accumulation institution founded by the 2 stars, arsenic good arsenic Falco Pictures, which was besides progressive successful producing the movie. Netflix, which distributed the movie, is not named successful the lawsuit.

"The Rip" was advertised arsenic "inspired by existent events," including however the Miami-Dade narcotics portion recovered $21.9 cardinal hidden down a mendacious partition successful orangish buckets. However, according to the lawsuit, the halfway crippled astir their transgression misconduct is fabricated.

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Ben Affleck and Matt Damon connected acceptable arsenic Miami narcotics investigators successful "The Rip," a 2026 movie partially inspired by the historical seizure of $22 cardinal successful alleged marijuana proceeds. (Claire Folger/Netflix © 2024)

In existent life, investigators made the seizure astatine the location of a gardening proviso store proprietor suspected of taking portion successful a marijuana trafficking ringing successful 2016, according to the lawsuit. It was the largest currency seizure successful the past of the Miami-Dade Police Department, present the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.

In the movie, members of the narcotics portion look suspicion for allegedly stealing immoderate of the wealth nether mendacious pretenses and for their ain benefit. It besides depicts a fictional DEA cause implicated successful the execution of a Miami constabulary lieutenant, who himself is killed by Affleck's quality later, without owed process.

Read the complaint:

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Ben Affleck and Matt Damon connected acceptable arsenic Miami narcotics investigators successful "The Rip," a 2026 movie partially inspired by the historical seizure of $22 cardinal successful alleged marijuana proceeds. (Claire Folger/Netflix © 2024)

While the movie had a fictionalized twist, the suit contends that it included capable real-world facts to harm the reputations of Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana, including determination settings, details astir the mendacious wall, the currency being recovered successful orangish buckets, and a loaded Tech 9 firearm stashed with the cash.

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Smith was the sergeant supervising the existent investigation. Santana was the pb detective and has since been promoted to sergeant arsenic well. Their names are not utilized successful the movie, but the suit alleges they were the ground for the characters Damon and Affleck play connected screen.

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According to the lawsuit, aft the movie trailer's release, a region authoritative contacted 1 of them asking, "whether immoderate allegations of theft had ever been made successful transportation with the case, and further stated that his bureau would beryllium looking into it."

They allege they person besides faced questions astir "how galore buckets they kept," whether they utilized stolen wealth to wage for location improvements, and the lieutenant's murder.

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Matt Damon attends Netflix's "The Rip" New York premiere astatine Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, connected Jan. 13, 2026, successful New York City.

"I can’t judge you killed different cop," a region authoritative allegedly told 1 of the plaintiffs aft the movie came out, according to the lawsuit.

On apical of that, the movie allegedly credited a section subordinate who had nary transportation to the probe and was paid for his consulting.

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Smith and Santana are seeking damages exceeding $75,000 for allegations of defamation and affectional distress. The suit besides accuses Hollywood arsenic a full of negatively depicting constabulary connected screen, noting that constabulary departments astir the state are struggling with hiring and serviceman retention.

Damon and Affleck themselves person publically said constabulary are "underappreciated" and "underfunded" successful an interrogation with Howard Stern promoting the movie.

Prior to the lawsuit, they had asked for a nationalist retraction and correction and either a salient disclaimer attached to the movie oregon an extremity to its distribution.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon be the premiere of "The Rip" astatine Alice Tully Hall successful New York City connected Jan. 13, 2026. (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

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The film's producers countered that it was a fictionalized movie that carried a disclaimer already and that the characters are not existent people.

Lawyers for Smith and Santana person until time to record an amended ailment to fulfill the judge's jurisdiction concerns, according to tribunal documents. If they neglect to conscionable the deadline, the lawsuit would beryllium dismissed.