Two Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office officers, Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana, have sued Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity over The Rip, claiming the film’s portrayal caused them reputational harm. The Netflix thriller follows Miami officers who uncover $20 million in cartel cash during a raid, triggering greed, betrayal, and panic. Judging by the lawsuit, the real-life officers clearly did not enjoy seeing fictional cops spiral into corruption overnight.

The lawsuit argues the Netflix thriller borrowed heavily from a real event faced by the two officers. The real event was a 2016 operation involving illegal substances. That event also involved more than $21 million in seized cartel cash, unlike in the movie. Although the officers are never named, they claim the similarities are specific enough to connect the fictional detectives directly to them.

The legal complaint focuses on the film’s 'inspired by true events' label. The Miami setting adds to their frustration as well. According to Entertainment Weekly, Smith and Santana believe audiences could reasonably assume the reckless officers were based on them. That concern only deepened after scenes showed detectives crossing ethical lines, including one violent confrontation involving a DEA agent.

Along with that, Smith and Santana also argue that the movie’s advertising amplified the problem by framing the story as rooted in actual police work. Their attorneys reportedly contacted the filmmakers after the January 2026 release, but the production team maintained that the concerns lacked merit because neither officer was identified by name. The dispute has since shifted from private conversations into a full courtroom battle over reputation and implication.

Now the officers are pushing for more than financial compensation. The lawsuit requests punitive damages, attorney fees, and a public correction attached to the movie itself. Smith and Santana specifically want a visible disclaimer clarifying that the characters and misconduct shown in The Rip are not connected to them.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have not addressed the lawsuit publicly, though their schedules already appear crowded with chaos.

What are The Rip actors busy with?

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon do not appear to be enjoying the luxury of boredom. Affleck is preparing to direct Animals for Netflix, another crime story already attracting attention before cameras fully roll. Damon, meanwhile, is juggling massive studio projects, including Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Between cartel thrillers, Greek legends, and Hollywood franchises, the longtime collaborators clearly have packed schedules.

On top of that, according to his GQ interview, Damon is expected to return for Ocean’s 14 as Linus Caldwell. Although it does depend on the script. Other than that, with so many productions moving simultaneously, the legal storm surrounding The Rip has become one more complication attached to an already crowded calendar.

What do you think about the lawsuit that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are facing right now? Let us know in the comments!

Written by

Iffat Siddiqui

Edited by

Adiba Nizami