Former Congressional Aide Accused Of Faking Political Attack

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, appeared in court Wednesday on charges of conspiracy to convey false statements and hoaxes, as well as making false statements to federal law enforcement. The charges stem from an alleged fabricated attack in Egg Harbor Township this past summer.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the incident was initially reported on the night of July 23, 2025, when Greene’s co-conspirator called 911 claiming that both women had been assaulted by three men while walking on a trail at a nature preserve. “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,” the office said in a statement.

Greene told responding officers that one or more of the assailants claimed to have a gun and threatened to shoot her. She also alleged that the men restrained her, cut her, and wrote on her body. After receiving medical treatment for her wounds, Greene repeated this account to both local law enforcement and an FBI agent.

However, investigators later concluded that no such attack occurred. “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,” prosecutors said.

Law enforcement also found black zip ties in Greene’s car, similar to the ones used to bind her hands and feet. Additionally, investigators discovered that two days before the reported attack, Greene’s co-conspirator’s cellphone had been used to search for “zip ties near me.”

“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,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. “Greene’s shirt was pulled over her head and was also tied with a black zip tie.” The office noted that she had “numerous lacerations on her face, neck, upper chest, and shoulder,” and that the words “TRUMP W—-” were written on her stomach and “[Federal Official 1] IS RACIST” on her back. Greene was “crying and yelling that one of her alleged attackers had a gun,” the office added.

A spokesperson for Rep. Jeff Van Drew 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.” The spokesperson added, “We hope she’s getting the care she needs.”

Greene was released on a $200,000 unsecured bond with additional court-ordered conditions. Each charge she faces carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Greene began working for Van Drew in 2022 in a part-time capacity and later served as his constituent advocate, according to the New York Post.

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