A former staffer for a Republican congressman has been charged with staging an elaborate hoax in which she claimed to have been kidnapped by anti-Trump activists. Natalie Greene, 26, allegedly tied her own limbs with zip ties in a wooded area, with the help of an accomplice, and wrote the words 'Trump w***e' on her chest.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, Greene instructed her co-conspirator to contact law enforcement late on July 23, 2025, claiming they had been attacked by men who knew Greene by name and referenced her employment by 'Federal Official 1'. Greene was found near a nature reserve in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, with her hands and feet bound and her shirt pulled over her head. The phrases 'TRUMP W***E' and '[Federal Official 1] IS RACIST' were written on her body.
Greene initially told officers she had been threatened with a gun by three attackers. However, an FBI investigation revealed that the laceration marks on her face, neck, chest, and shoulder were deliberately cut by a body modification artist, following a pattern she had provided. Greene allegedly paid $500 for the procedure. Investigators also found zip ties in her car and a search history on her accomplice’s phone for 'zip ties near me'.
Greene appeared in federal court on November 19, 2025, and was released on a $200,000 unsecured bond. She faces charges of conspiracy to convey false statements and hoaxes, and making false statements to federal law enforcement. Representative Jeff Van Drew’s office confirmed Greene had worked there but said she was no longer associated with the office. A statement expressed sadness and hoped she would receive the care she needs.
