Two serving officers with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office have launched legal action against Artists Equity, the production company founded by and Matt Damon, claiming that the Netflix crime drama The Rip falsely associates them with fictional misconduct and has caused significant reputational harm.
Miami officers file lawsuit over Matt Damon, Ben Affleck’s The Rip
Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana filed the lawsuit following the January 2026 release of the Joe Carnahan-directed film, arguing that the project’s framing as being based on real events has led to damaging public assumptions about their conduct in connection with a real law enforcement operation.
According to court filings, the officers allege that the film’s depiction of fictional corruption, questionable judgement and unethical conduct closely mirrors aspects of a real 2016 operation in which they were involved, creating what they describe as a false and harmful association.
The lawsuit states that the portrayals by and Damon have caused them “substantial harm to their personal and professional reputations,” and argues that the film and its associated promotional materials “imply misconduct, poor judgment and unethical behaviour in connection with a real law enforcement operation,” as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
At the centre of the dispute is the film’s opening statement noting that it was “inspired by true events”. The complaint points to a June 2016 case involving Smith and Santana, during which more than $21 million was seized in a high-profile operation.
While neither officer is named directly in the film, their legal representatives argue that the connection between the real-life case and the fictional narrative is sufficiently clear to create .
Released globally on Netflix on 16 January 2026, The Rip stars Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars and Ben Affleck as Detective Sergeant JD Byrne, two Miami-Dade police officers investigating corruption within their department after uncovering $20 million in cartel-linked cash.
The film’s central narrative follows the officers as they become entangled in a web of internal corruption and escalating . In one of the film’s most controversial scenes, Affleck’s character kills a Drug Enforcement Administration agent, an event the plaintiffs argue contributes to an overall portrayal of law enforcement misconduct that unfairly reflects on their real-life operation.
The supporting cast includes Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle and Kyle Chandler, while Carnahan, known for directing action thrillers such as Narc and Copshop, helmed the project.
Neither Damon nor Affleck has publicly responded to the , and Artists Equity has yet to issue a formal statement addressing the claims outlined in the lawsuit.
