Three former federal agents filed a class-action lawsuit against NBC Universal Wednesday, accusing the movie studio that “American Gangster” has damaged the reputation of hundreds of feds.

Former Drug Enforcement Administration agents Louis Diaz, Gregory Korniloff and Jack Toal filed a $55 million defamation lawsuit against the movie studio that made “American Gangster” on Wednesday, alleging that the crime thriller smeared hundreds of reputations with its misleading and false end credits.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, contends that NBC Universal, the owner of Universal Studios, falsely claimed that the movie was based on a true story.

The film stars Denzel Washington as real-life former Harlem heroin kingpin Frank Lucas and Russell Crowe as the drug lord’s adversary New Jersey Detective Richard Roberts. The film shows how Lucas, eventually cornered by police, especially by his diligent pursuer Agent Roberts, becomes an informant.

The former DEA agents contend in the lawsuit that the end credits of “American Gangster” incorrectly state that 75 percent of the Drug Enforcement Agency officers involved in the 1970s capture of Frank Lucas were themselves convicted of wrongdoing between 1973 and 1985.

“With this utterly false and defamatory statement, the defendant has ruined and impugned the reputations of these honest and courageous public servants in the eyes of millions of people,” the suit said.

“This legend is false, defamatory and libelous per se. No such thing ever occurred,” the lawsuit states, adding that “not a single agent of New York City’s DEA or any other law enforcement officer” was convicted in connection with the Lucas case.

The former agents are seeking more than $55 million in damages and punitive damages as well as a portion of the film’s box office profit. Some 400 plaintiffs have joined the class-action lawsuit according to E! Online. The lawsuit is also seeking a court order to halt further distribution of the film.

Released in November 2007, the Ridley Scott-directed film was highly praised by critics and had ticket sales exceeding $130 million in North America, despite being rated R for violence, pervasive drug content and language, nudity and sexuality.

NBC Pictures has responded to the allegations, calling them “without merit.” A statement from the studio says:

“American Gangster does not defame these or any federal agents. The law enforcement officers portrayed in the film are identified as members of the New York City Police Department. The end legend specifically refers to members of 'New York City's Drug Enforcement Agency' - not the federal Drug Enforcement Administration where the plaintiffs formerly worked.”

The studio is also going ahead with its plans to release the film on DVD Feb. 19.

Dominic Amorosa, a former U.S. Attorney who successfully prosecuted Lucas on drug charges in 1976 and who now represents the DEA agents, explained to E! Online how the movie has already been troubling for his clients.

He also said there had been previous attempts on his part to convince the studio to correct the text at the end of the movie.