Ben Affleck, Matt Damon land in big trouble after ‘The Rip’ release

The Rip producers Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have recently landed in trouble after their production company are sued by Miami-Dade narcotics officers for defamation.

The Miami-Dade reportedly filed a lawsuit in a Florida federal district court against Artists Equity, the production founded by Ben and Matt.

The lawsuit document said that the plaintiffs, Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana, are seeking unspecified damages for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The movie was promoted as “inspired by true events,” but the lawsuit revealed that the movie borrowed heavily from a real June 29, 2016 Miami-Dade narcotics investigation in which officers discovered nearly $22 million in cash hidden in orange buckets inside a Miami Lakes home, per The Wrap. 

The plaintiffs claimed that the movie depicted the officers involved as corrupt and criminal.

Interestingly, Jason and Jonathan further said that anyone familiar with the case connected them to the fictional officers portrayed by Ben and Matt.

The suit mentioned that the actual 2016 seizure involved officers lawfully discovering $21,970,411 hidden in orange buckets concealed behind drywall.

Later, the officers pointed out that fictional plotlines involving police corruption, theft schemes, cartel dealings and murder.

The suit also shared that the movie depicted officers tied to the seizure as being concerned in the murder of a fellow officer and later killing a DEA agent.

Although the officers did warn the movie-makers before and after The Rip was released, they also sent a cease-and-desist letter in December 2025 opposing to the trailer and promotional materials. 

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