Two police officers from South Florida have filed a defamation lawsuit claiming that the film The Rip, produced by Artists Equity and led by actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, used real-life details that damaged their reputations.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Miami by sergeants Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana, both members of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, News.Az reports, citing The Associated Press.
The officers claim the film’s fictional narrative is closely based on real events from a 2016 case in which police discovered more than $21 million linked to a suspected drug trafficker in a Miami Lakes residence.
According to the complaint, the film portrays South Florida police officers who discover large sums of money inside a house, but later become involved in criminal activity including conspiracy, murder and corruption. The plaintiffs argue that despite not being named in the film, the characters are strongly based on their real roles in the original investigation.
The officers say the movie’s inclusion of detailed elements from the case has led colleagues, friends and family members to believe they were involved in criminal acts depicted on screen, harming their personal and professional reputations.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, attorney fees, as well as a public retraction and correction from the filmmakers.
During promotion of the film, Damon and Affleck said the story was loosely inspired by accounts from Miami-Dade Police Captain Chris Casiano, who served as a technical advisor. Damon previously stated that the production team worked closely with narcotics officers to understand their experiences and operational dynamics.
Attorneys for Artists Equity have argued that the film does not claim to portray real individuals or a true account of the case, pointing to a disclaimer included in the movie’s credits. They also said the plaintiffs have not identified which characters they believe are based on them, making the connection speculative.
The legal dispute continues as the court considers whether the fictional depiction in The Rip can reasonably be linked to the real-life officers involved in the original investigation.
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