Ex–NJ GOP Staffer Charged After Staging Hoax Attack and Paying Artist to Injure Her

A former New Jersey Republican congressional staffer has been indicted after authorities say she staged a violent political attack on herself — going as far as paying a body-modification artist to carve wounds into her skin and writing inflammatory messages like “TRUMP WHORE” across her stomach before falsely claiming she was abducted.

Natalie Greene, 26, of Ocean City, N.J., who once worked for U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), faces charges of conspiracy and making false statements after allegedly fabricating an elaborate story of being beaten and assaulted by three men along a nature trail in Egg Harbor Township on the night of July 23. Greene had portrayed the supposed assault as a politically motivated attack tied to her work for Van Drew.

According to investigators, Greene claimed the men held her at gunpoint, tied her ankles with zip ties, slashed her body, and scribbled political insults on her skin. Police found her partially undressed in a wooded area, with her hands and feet bound, and messages such as “VAN DREW IS RACIST” and “TRUMP WHORE” scrawled across her body.

Her friend — described by prosecutors as a co-conspirator — backed up her accusation, claiming the attackers called Greene by name and referenced her job. But inconsistencies quickly raised suspicion. A search of Greene’s Maserati uncovered duct tape and zip ties matching those used in the so-called attack.

Investigators then found a trail of evidence pointing to a staged event. A search of Greene’s phone revealed she was active in online communities dedicated to scarification and had sought directions to a body-modification artist in Pennsylvania. Digital records, including texts and Instagram messages, showed Greene paid the artist $500 earlier that same day — less than eight hours before she was found — along with a signed consent form and reference photos of the exact wounds she wanted created.

Prosecutors say the injuries on Greene during her hospital examination perfectly matched the body-modification work she commissioned. Location data and phone records further linked both Greene and her friend to planning the hoax. Two days before the staged attack, the friend searched “zip ties near me” and visited a Dollar General store shortly afterward.

Greene previously served as a constituent advocate director for Rep. Van Drew’s office in 2021. Following news of her indictment, Van Drew’s team issued a statement expressing sadness but noting Greene is no longer associated with the office.

Authorities have not disclosed a motive behind the staged incident, though online speculation ranges from an attempt to inflame political tensions to concerns about Greene’s mental wellbeing.

Greene faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release if convicted. She appeared in federal court Wednesday and was released on a $200,000 unsecured bond.