Executive Summary
- Netflix’s “The Rip” is inspired by a 2016 Miami Lakes raid that yielded over $21 million in cash.
- Hialeah Mayor Bryan Calvo disputes the film’s setting, arguing it inaccurately portrays his city.
- The investigation targeted Luis Hernandez-Gonzalez and became the largest cash seizure in Miami-Dade history.
- Hernandez-Gonzalez pled guilty to money laundering in 2018 and received a 65-month prison sentence.
Hialeah Mayor Bryan Calvo has publicly criticized the portrayal of his city in the new Netflix film “The Rip,” emphasizing that the production dramatizes events based on a 2016 law enforcement operation that actually occurred in neighboring Miami Lakes. In a statement addressing the film, which stars Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, Mayor Calvo expressed concern over the production’s decision to set the narrative in Hialeah, asserting that the city maintains a reputation for safety and hardworking residents.
According to the Mayor’s office, the filmmakers selected Hialeah for its “iconic” aesthetic, despite the source material—a record-breaking seizure of illicit cash—originating from a residence in Miami Lakes. “Hialeah is not a stereotype, and we are not unsafe,” Calvo stated, noting that his administration would explore legal options if the cinematic portrayal crosses into defamation or deliberate mischaracterization of the municipality.
“The Rip” draws inspiration from a major investigation involving the Miami-Dade Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that culminated in a raid on June 28, 2016. During the execution of a search warrant at a home on Northwest 169th Terrace in Miami Lakes, authorities discovered more than $21 million in cash. The currency was found stuffed into dozens of five-gallon buckets concealed within a hidden attic compartment, marking the largest money seizure in the department’s history.
The primary target of the real-life investigation, Luis Hernandez-Gonzalez, operated a local hydroponics business known as The Blossom Experience. Investigators alleged that Hernandez-Gonzalez utilized the business to support marijuana trafficking operations extending into Tennessee. Following his arrest, court records indicate he was charged with money laundering and structuring bank transactions to evade federal reporting requirements.
In February 2018, Hernandez-Gonzalez entered a guilty plea in federal court. Under the terms of the plea agreement, he was sentenced to 65 months in prison and agreed to the forfeiture of $4 million, his residence, and various assets. Charges related to marijuana trafficking were dismissed as part of the deal.
Community Impact & Historical Context
The friction between municipal leadership and Hollywood dramatizations highlights the challenges local governments face regarding public perception and safety branding. While “The Rip” utilizes the 2016 raid as a narrative framework, the distinction between the fictionalized storyline and the documented police work is critical for the historical record. The actual 2016 operation underscored the scale of inter-agency cooperation required to dismantle complex financial infrastructures associated with illicit trade. It is important to note that while the film presents a dramatized version of events, the historical criminal proceedings concluded with a guilty plea, resolving charges where the defendant was initially afforded the presumption of innocence under the U.S. legal system.
