Miami Officers Sue Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Over Netflix Film “The Rip”

Several Miami-area police officers are suing actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck through their production company, Artists Equity, over the Netflix crime thriller The Rip. The officers say the movie wrongly portrays them as corrupt police officers and has damaged their reputations.

The film, released in January, is described as being “inspired by true events.” Director Joe Carnahan has said it was based on a 2016 Miami Lakes drug raid in which police seized more than $24 million in cash. The operation became the largest money seizure in Miami-Dade history.

According to a lawsuit reported by 7 News Miami, officers involved in the real case say the movie falsely suggests they stole money and worked with drug cartels.

Jonathan Santana, the lead detective in the 2016 investigation, said the film has led to public ridicule.

“When you rip something, you’re stealing something. We never stole a dollar,” Santana said.

He added that people now joke about him taking money from the raid, despite years of praise for his police work.

The Rip stars Damon and Affleck as officers involved in a major drug raid. In the movie, tensions grow among the officers after they discover a huge amount of cash. The cast also includes Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Scott Adkins and Steven Yeun.

The lawsuit claims the movie invented storylines involving police corruption, cartel connections and murder. The officers’ lawyer, Ignacio Alvarez, said the film unfairly damaged his clients’ reputations.

“They portrayed police officers as dirty,” Alvarez said. “Now their reputations are hurt.”

The movie has already faced criticism from officials in Hialeah, where the story is set. Hialeah Mayor Bryan Calvo said earlier this year that the film portrayed the city unfairly and disrespected local law enforcement.

Although the real events happened in nearby Miami Lakes, the movie uses Hialeah as its setting.

“I know Hialeah has been the butt of the joke for a long time,” Calvo said at the time. “But that ends now.”