A former aide to Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., was charged with faking a political attack that prosecutors say included lacerations and writing on her body. 

Natalie Greene, 26, of Ocean City, made an initial court appearance Wednesday on one count of conspiracy to convey false statements and hoaxes and one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement following the alleged incident in Egg Harbor Township over the summer. 

“Late at night on July 23, 2025, Greene’s co-conspirator called 911 and reported that she and Greene had been attacked by three men when they were out walking on a trail at a nature preserve in Egg Harbor Township,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey said in a statement. “According to the co-conspirator, during the attack, the men had called Greene by name and had specifically referenced her employment with Federal Official 1, an official whose identity is known to the Government.” 

“When law enforcement officers located Greene, she was lying in a wooded area just off the trail, with her hands and feet bound together with black zip ties. Greene’s shirt was pulled over her head and was also tied with a black zip tie,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office added. “Greene had numerous lacerations on her face, neck, upper chest, and shoulder. The words ‘TRUMP W—-’ were written on her stomach and the words ‘[Federal Official 1] IS RACIST’ were written on her back. Greene was crying and yelling that one of her alleged attackers had a gun.”

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Federal prosecutors said Greene told the responding officers that one or more of the alleged attackers said they had a gun and threatened to shoot her, while they also “had held her down and restrained her movement, cutting her and writing on her body.” 

After receiving medical treatment for the wounds, Greene again described her alleged attack to law enforcement officers and an FBI agent, but the “investigation revealed that Greene had not, in fact, been attacked by three men at gunpoint on July 23,” according to the Attorney’s Office. 

“Instead, Greene had paid a body modification/scarification artist to deliberately cut the lacerations on her face, neck, upper chest, and shoulder, based on a pattern that she had provided beforehand. Law enforcement officers recovered black zip ties in Greene’s car on the night of the alleged attack, similar to the zip ties that had been used to bind Greene’s arms and feet,” it said. “Also, the investigation revealed that, two days prior to the alleged attack, the cellphone of Greene’s co-conspirator had been used to search ‘zip ties near me.’”

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A Van Drew spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “We are deeply saddened by today’s news, and while Natalie is no longer associated with the Congressman’s government office, our thoughts and prayers are with her.” 

“We hope she’s getting the care she needs,” the spokesperson added.

The Attorney’s Office said the count of conspiracy has a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a term of three years of supervised release, while the count of false statements also has the same penalties.  

“Greene was released on a $200,000 unsecured bond and additional conditions, as set by the Court,” the office said following her court appearance Wednesday. 

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Greene joined Van Drew’s team in a part-time role in 2022 and later was his constituent advocate, according to the New York Post.