Officers Sue Affleck and Damon’s Company Over ‘The Rip’ Portrayal
The New York Times • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Two Miami police sergeants, Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana, have filed a defamation lawsuit against Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s production company, Artists Equity, over their portrayal in the Netflix film "The Rip."
- The officers claim the movie, which is inspired by true events, falsely depicts them engaging in criminal activities such as theft, collusion with cartel members, arson, and murder, damaging their reputations.
- The lawsuit notes that while the film accurately depicts a 2016 drug trafficking investigation and cash seizure, the criminal misconduct storyline is fictional and harmful.
- Smith and Santana are seeking undisclosed punitive and compensatory damages from Falco Pictures and Artists Equity, with no comment issued by the defendants' legal representatives.
- The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, formerly the Miami-Dade Police Department, confirms the officers’ roles in the actual investigation but disputes the film’s negative portrayal of their conduct.