Ex-federal worker accused of staging own attack with slashes, political slurs on body

November 20, 2025

A 26-year-old former congressional aide has been federally charged with orchestrating a fake hate crime attack against herself. Natalie Greene allegedly collaborated with an accomplice to stage an assault on a nature trail, claiming three attackers targeted her due to her work for a New Jersey Republican congressman, binding her and carving politically charged insults into her skin. Investigators discovered inconsistencies in the stories, incriminating internet searches for zip ties, and evidence that Greene paid a body modification professional $500 to inflict the wounds on the day of the supposed attack.

Who is affected

Natalie Greene (26-year-old former congressional staffer facing criminal charges)
Greene's unnamed co-conspirator
Representative Jefferson Van Drew (New Jersey Republican whose office Greene formerly worked for)
Local law enforcement in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey (who investigated the false report)
The body modification artist who was paid to create the lacerations

What action is being taken

No explicit ongoing actions are described in the article. The charges have been filed and Greene has been released on bond, but no current proceedings or investigations are mentioned as actively underway.

Why it matters

This case highlights the serious legal and social consequences of fabricating hate crimes, which can undermine legitimate victims, waste law enforcement resources, and inflame political tensions. False reports of politically motivated violence can distort public perception of actual threats and hatred, erode trust in reported incidents, and carry severe criminal penalties including up to 10 years imprisonment and $500,000 in fines. The case also reflects broader concerns about political polarization and the potential for manufactured incidents to manipulate public opinion.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC