Artists Equity faces a defamation lawsuit from two Miami law enforcement officials tied to Netflix’s The Rip.
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Netflix collaboration The Rip is now at the center of a legal fight, with the actors’ production company facing allegations from two Miami law enforcement officials.
According to a report published May 9. Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana. both identified as officers with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. have filed suit against Artists Equity over the way they say they were depicted in the film.. The movie. created by Artists Equity and released on January 16. is said to have drawn heavy public attention following its debut on Netflix.
The lawsuit centers on the officers’ argument that. even though they are not named or referenced by name in the film. the performances—especially those tied to Affleck and Damon—are “so heavily associated” with Smith and Santana that it caused “substantial harm” to their personal and professional reputations.. The claim is rooted in the idea that audiences could connect the on-screen portrayals to the real-life officers.
Damon, 55, and Affleck, 53, star in The Rip as Lieutenant Dane Dumars and Detective Sergeant JD Byrne, respectively.. The movie follows the duo’s journey after they discover $20 million in cartel cash and then uncover corruption within the Miami-Dade Police Department—an investigation story that the film’s marketing and reception linked to real-world events.
The allegations described in the report also point to how the film and its advertising were perceived by the plaintiffs.. The suit reportedly argues that the movie and promotional materials suggested “misconduct. poor judgment. and unethical behavior in connection with a real law enforcement operation. ” framing the officers’ actions in a negative light.
In addition to the defamation claims. the lawsuit reportedly includes an allegation attributed to “Damon’s LLC production company Falco Productions. ” described as seeking damages connected to defamation per se and defamation by implication.. The report also says the filing includes a claim of “intentional infliction of emotional distress. ” expanding the case beyond reputational harm alone.
While details around explicit identification are central to these arguments, the plaintiffs’ case—as described—leans heavily on specificity.. The report states that Smith and Santana allege they “seized more than $21 million in June 2016. ” tying that real-life operation to the film’s timeline and setting.
The suit further claims that the film’s use of “unique. non-generic details” from the June 29. 2016 investigation—combined with the Miami-Dade backdrop and the portrayal of a narcotics team—creates what the plaintiffs call a “reasonable inference” that the officers depicted are Smith and Santana.. That framing matters legally because it attempts to bridge the gap between unnamed characters and identifiable real-world counterparts.
The report also says Smith and Santana’s attorneys sent a letter to the companies responsible for the film. “enumerating the allegedly defamatory details” in The Rip and demanding they cease and desist from releasing it.. The notice is described as having been sent in December 2025. after which the lawsuit alleges that the concerns were still not addressed.
After the film was released, the report states that a representative for the companies responded to the plaintiffs’ concerns.. The response described in the report says the issues were “unfounded. ” emphasizing that the film did not expressly name Sergeant Smith and that there was no implication. according to the companies’ position. that the plaintiffs engaged in misconduct shown in the movie.
For viewers, the story behind The Rip is part of what fueled its buzz. As widely reported around the film’s release, the plot is based on the true story of Miami police officer Chris Casiano, who served as head of the department’s Tactical Narcotics Team in 2016 when a cash stash was uncovered.
That connection to real events is also why the lawsuit could become a broader test of how entertainment blends documented investigations with dramatized character portrayals.. Even without explicit naming. the plaintiffs’ theory relies on audiences being able to recognize patterns. details. and settings that they believe map back to real officers.
Meanwhile. the case also highlights how productions can face risk not only from what’s shown on screen. but from how films are promoted.. The lawsuit’s reported focus on the film and its advertisements—along with allegations of misconduct-themed messaging—suggests the plaintiffs believe the portrayal extended beyond storytelling into reputational consequences.
Artists Equity, and representatives for Affleck and Damon, have been contacted for comment, according to the report.
For now, The Rip remains a high-profile Netflix release—its cinematic depiction of corruption and narcotics work now complicated by a lawsuit that argues the blend of “unique” investigative details and dramatized performances made the real-life identities effectively recognizable.
Ben Affleck Matt Damon Artists Equity The Rip lawsuit Netflix defamation Miami-Dade Police