A former congressional staffer for U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew has been charged with conspiring to stage a violent, politically motivated attack on herself in which she claimed to have been beaten and branded with anti-Trump slurs.
Natalie Greene, 26, of Ocean City, New Jersey, was charged Wednesday with one count of conspiracy to convey false statements and hoaxes and one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement.
Federal prosecutors allege Greene, along with a co-conspirator, fabricated an assault at a nature reserve in Egg Harbor Township on July 23, 2025. Greene told investigators she was ambushed by three men who bound her with zip ties, beat her, and cut the words “Trump Whore” and “[Federal Official] is Racist” into her skin.
According to the criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the investigation revealed the injuries were self-inflicted with the help of a hired scarification artist.
Details of the Alleged Hoax Authorities say the incident began late on the night of July 23, when Greene’s co-conspirator called 911 to report an attack in progress. When police arrived at the wooded area, they found Greene bound by her hands and feet with black zip ties, her shirt pulled over her head. She had fresh lacerations on her face, chest, and back.
Greene claimed the attackers threatened her with a firearm and specifically cited her employment with a federal official—identified in reports as Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew—as the motive for the assault.
However, inconsistencies in her story led federal agents to investigate further. Prosecutors stated that Greene had paid a body modification artist to inflict the cuts using a scalpel before traveling to the reserve. Investigators also recovered zip ties from Greene’s vehicle that matched those used to bind her and found internet search history for “zip ties near me” on the co-conspirator’s phone.
Charges and Response Greene appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal on Wednesday and was released on a $200,000 unsecured bond.
If convicted, Greene faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge, with similar penalties possible for the false statements charge.
A spokesperson for Rep. Van Drew’s office confirmed that Greene is a former employee but stated she is no longer associated with the congressman’s office. The office expressed sadness regarding the news and declined further comment on the ongoing legal matter.
The charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Flip the pages for more photos of Natalie Greene and how she mutilated her body for the love of Trump.
