NJ Woman Accused Of Faking Violent Political Attack Ordered To Undergo Treatment

OCEAN CITY, NJ — The former Rep. Jeff Van Drew staffer accused of staging a violent political attack on herself has been ordered to undergo inpatient mental health therapy, according to court documents.

Natalie Greene, 26, was charged last month with conspiring and falsely reporting to law enforcement that she had been violently assaulted with a firearm due to her employment with a federal official, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba said.

Greene, an Ocean City resident and current Rutgers law student, was released on Nov. 20 with a monitoring bracelet, court documents show. Then on Nov. 26, a judge ordered her into residential treatment with the bracelet removed. Once the treatment is completed, the bracelet will be reinstated.

On July 23, Greene and a co-conspirator called 911 to report that Greene had been attacked at the Egg Harbor Township Nature Preserve, officials said. READ MORE: Ex-NJ Congressional Staffer Attacked, Zip Tied, Dumped In The Woods. Feds Say She Set It Up

They claimed that three men had called Greene by name and referenced her employment with Van Drew before threatening to shoot her, zip tying her and holding her down to cut and write on her body, according to court documents.

Greene alleged that the attackers had sliced all over her body. Writing on her stomach read "TRUMP WHORE" and her back said that Van Drew "IS RACIST," documents show.

But an investigation revealed that two days before the alleged attack, Greene's co-conspirator had Googled "zip ties near me." Those same zip ties were found in Greene's car the night of the apparent attack, authorities said.

The day of the alleged attack, Greene went to a body modification/scarification studio in Pennsylvania, authorities said.

Photos from the scarification artist show Greene after his work had been completed. They perfectly matched the lacerations found on Greene's body in the hospital, authorities said.

The count of conspiracy has a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of three years of supervised release. The count of false statements also has a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of three years of supervised release.