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- Who sued Artists Equity and why
- Specific legal claims and damages sought
- What parts of the film are said to connect to the officers
- The movie, its characters, and the true story behind it
- Timeline: warnings, release and responses
- Companies and individuals named in the suit
- What plaintiffs say the film caused
Two Miami-Dade police officers have launched a defamation lawsuit against Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s production firm, saying the pair’s Netflix thriller echoes real events and damaged their reputations.
Who sued Artists Equity and why
The complaint names Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana as plaintiffs. They say Artists Equity, the company founded by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, produced a film that portrays law-enforcement officers in a way that the plaintiffs claim points directly to them.
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Although the movie does not use the officers’ real names, the suit argues viewers could reasonably identify Smith and Santana from the movie’s specifics. The film at the center of the dispute is The Rip, released on Netflix on January 16.
Specific legal claims and damages sought
The officers allege several causes of action against the production companies.
- Defamation per se — public statements in the film and ads that the plaintiffs say harmed their reputations.
- Defamation by implication — assertions that the movie’s narrative implies wrongdoing.
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress — claims that the depiction caused severe emotional harm.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, plus attorney fees.
What parts of the film are said to connect to the officers
Smith and Santana’s filing stresses that the movie includes detailed, non-generic elements from a June 29, 2016, narcotics investigation.
- Location: Miami-Dade setting matches the plaintiffs’ jurisdiction.
- Subject matter: a portrayal of a tactical narcotics team mirrors the unit the officers led.
- Case details: the script references a large seizure of cartel cash.
The suit notes the officers themselves “seized more than $21 million in June 2016,” and says the film’s combination of details allows a viewer to connect the fictional characters to the real men.
The movie, its characters, and the true story behind it
The Rip stars Affleck and Damon as lawmen uncovering millions in cartel cash and a web of police corruption. Affleck plays Detective Sergeant JD Byrne. Damon plays Lieutenant Dane Dumars.
The film draws from the real-life investigation led by Miami officer Chris Casiano, who headed the department’s Tactical Narcotics Team in 2016. Media coverage at the time reported a multi-million-dollar cash find tied to cartel activity.
Timeline: warnings, release and responses
The officers say their lawyers sent a letter to the film’s producers in December 2025, listing allegedly defamatory elements and demanding the companies stop the release.
After the movie reached audiences, a representative for the production entities reportedly replied. That response described the concerns as unfounded. The representative said the film did not explicitly name Sergeant Smith and did not imply the plaintiffs committed misconduct.
Companies and individuals named in the suit
- Artists Equity — Affleck and Damon’s production company.
- Falco Productions — identified in the filing as Matt Damon’s LLC, accused of defamation by implication.
- Other production partners and distributors connected to the film’s release are also listed.
Media outreach and reporting
Entertainment Weekly first reported details of the lawsuit. Us Weekly says it contacted Artists Equity and representatives for Affleck and Damon for comment.
What plaintiffs say the film caused
The officers claim the movie and its promotional materials suggested “misconduct, poor judgment, and unethical behavior” tied to an actual law-enforcement operation. They say this caused both personal and professional harm.
The complaint asks the court to hold the filmmakers accountable through monetary awards and legal costs.
