A former staffer in New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew's office is facing federal charges after allegedly staging an attack on herself. Prosecutors say she made the attack appear politically motivated by hiring an unnamed person to cut parts of her body and write on her body.

Natalie Greene, 26, of Ocean City, is charged with one count of conspiracy to convey false statements and hoaxes, and one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey said in a news release on Wednesday.

Greene is accused of working with a co-conspirator to fabricate a story that she was attacked based on her former employment for Van Drew, a Republican who represents South Jersey's District 2. Investigators believe Greene worked with a "scarification" artist to create cuts that looked like she had been attacked with a knife, according to a criminal complaint. The criminal complaint alleges that the cuts were made with a scalpel.

Her attorney, Louis Barbone of Atlantic City, said in a statement that Greene is presumed innocent and "reserves all of her defenses for presentation in a court of law."

"At the age of 26, my client served her community working full time to assist the constituents of the Congressman with loyalty and fidelity. She did that while being a full-time student," Barbone wrote.

The co-conspirator allegedly contacted 911 late on the night of July 23, 2025. Prosecutors say the caller reported that she and Greene were attacked by three men while walking on a trail in a nature preserve in Egg Harbor Township, Atlantic County. According to the U.S. Attorney's news release, the caller told police the fictitious attackers called Greene by name and were aware of her employment with Van Drew's office.

Court documents say police then arrived on the scene and found Greene with her hands and feet tied with zip ties, and her shirt over her head and also bound with a zip tie. Police noted multiple phrases were written on her body including one stating her employer "is racist" and another phrase that said "Trump whore."

According to the criminal complaint, police learned the story was fabricated after further investigation, finding out about Greene's payment to a body modification artist to make the cuts on her body based on a pattern that Greene had allegedly provided. In Greene's car, investigators say they found zip ties that appeared similar to the ones found at the scene and police say the co-conspirator's phone search history also included a search for "zip ties near me" from two days before the alleged attack.

"I'm just praying for her and wish her the very best," Van Drew said Thursday afternoon. "I don't know any more than you all do, and we never would interfere with an investigation or a criminal process."

Van Drew said he has not spoken to investigators in the case. 

Van Drew was not identified as Greene's employer in the U.S. Attorney's Office news release or the criminal complaint — but a spokesperson for the South Jersey legislator confirmed he was the person referred to as "Federal Official 1."

"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 said in an email.

Greene was a former intern for Van Drew who came on as a constituent advocate in June 2023, before getting promoted the following year, according to LegiStorm, an organization that tracks staff positions on Capitol Hill and in district offices.  

Greene last worked for Van Drew as his constituent advocate director, LegiStorm's records showed.

Greene made an initial appearance in federal court on Wednesday and was released on a $200,000 bond with additional conditions. On Nov. 26, she was court-ordered to inpatient treatment, according to court documents.