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Netflix's 'The Rip': Fact vs. Fiction
19 Jan
Summary
- A Miami-Dade officer uncovered over $20 million in 2016.
- The movie 'The Rip' is loosely based on this real-life bust.
- The cash was hidden inside Home Depot buckets in a secret compartment.
The Netflix crime-thriller "The Rip" draws inspiration from a significant 2016 Miami-Dade police raid that uncovered over $20 million. In reality, the money was found stuffed inside Home Depot buckets concealed within a secret attic compartment. This discovery marked the largest cash seizure in the department's history at the time, stunning veteran officers.
The film centers on Lt. Dane Dumars, a character based on Miami-Dade officer Chris Casiano, who led the Tactical Narcotics Team. While the central bust and Damon's character are rooted in truth, "The Rip" takes considerable creative liberties. The actual raid targeted Luis Hernandez-Gonzalez, owner of Blossom Experience, a store supplying indoor gardening equipment. He was under investigation for advising Miami marijuana growers.
In the film, investigators believe drug cartels hid the money, but the real millions originated from a Cuban marijuana grow-house operation. Hernandez-Gonzalez, who arrived from Cuba in 1994, earned millions and hid profits from authorities by making small, staggered bank deposits. He was later sentenced to 65 months in prison and forfeited over $18 million.
