A former Republican aide in New Jersey, who allegedly staged a brutal fake attack on herself and blamed it on political motivations, has been ordered by a federal judge to receive inpatient mental health treatment.
The Bizarre Allegations and Arrest
Natalie Greene, a 26-year-old former law student and aide to New Jersey Republican Representative Jeff Van Drew, was charged in November 2025. Prosecutors say she conspired to create a elaborate hoax where she would appear as the victim of a politically motivated assault.
The alleged plan unfolded on July 23. Greene, a resident of Ocean City, reportedly traveled to Pennsylvania two days earlier. There, she paid a body modification artist $500 to use a scalpel to cut wounds into the skin on her face, neck, chest, shoulder, and stomach. As part of this, the artist inscribed "Van Drew is a racist" on her body.
Later, at the Egg Harbor Township Nature Reserve, Greene had a friend call 911. The friend reported that three men had attacked them, targeting Greene specifically because of her job with Congressman Van Drew. When police found Greene, she was lying in a wooded area off a trail with her hands and feet bound by zip-ties, her shirt pulled over her head, and with the fresh, gruesome cuts covering her body.
How the Story Unraveled
Greene claimed to investigators that at least one attacker had a gun and threatened to shoot her. She also stated the assailants had carved "Trump Whore" on her stomach. However, authorities soon found inconsistencies that exposed the alleged scheme.
A key piece of evidence was the discovery of zip-ties inside Greene's own Maserati SUV. Furthermore, Greene and her alleged accomplice gave conflicting accounts of what happened that day, raising immediate suspicion.
Greene was arrested and charged with conspiracy to convey false statements and hoaxes, as well as making false statements to federal law enforcement. She was released on a $200,000 bond on November 19, with the condition of wearing a GPS ankle monitor.
Court Orders Mental Health Treatment
The case took a significant turn on November 26. Camden federal Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Pascal issued an order for Greene to report to pretrial services to have her ankle bracelet removed. This was so she could enter a residential treatment program at an inpatient mental health facility.
Judge Pascal's order noted that pretrial services had recommended the treatment and that Greene's own lawyer consented to the arrangement. This development suggests the court is considering her mental state as a factor in the case.
If convicted on both counts she faces, Natalie Greene could be sentenced to up to ten years in prison and be forced to pay a fine of $250,000. The order for mental health treatment is a pretrial condition and does not affect the pending criminal charges against her.
