A New Jersey law student who claimed she was attacked for her MAGA beliefs is facing charges.
Natalie Greene once worked on the Hill for Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew. However, she made headlines in July when she claimed she was attacked for her conservative values. According to Blavity, she fabricated a story about three men threatening her and a co-conspirator at a New Jersey nature preserve.
The alleged co-conspirator initially called 911 to report the fake attack. She told authorities that the men were “talking about politics and stuff.” She also falsely asserted that “they were like calling her names,” referring to Greene.
When police arrived, they found Greene with zip ties on her hands and marks all over her body. She told police that the men threatened to kill her with a gun. The 26-year-old even went so far as having “TRUMP Whore” scribbled on herself with other writing that Van Drew “is racist.”Later, new insight revealed that the entire ordeal was Greene’s plan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey released a statement confirming Greene had conjured up the scheme.
“The investigation revealed that Greene had not, in
fact, been attacked by three men at gunpoint on July 23. Instead, Greene had paid a body modification and scarification artist to deliberately cut the lacerations on her face, neck, upper chest, and shoulder, based on a pattern that she had provided beforehand,” the U.S. attorney’s office said in the statement obtained by ABC News.The investigation into her phone also saw her contact with the scarification artist. The artist gave authorities the $500 receipt of her payment for the marks. Police also allegedly found similar zip ties in Greene’s car.
She has since been arrested and charged with conspiracy to convey false statements and hoaxes, as well as making false statements to federal law enforcement. If found guilty, Greene could face up to ten years in prison.
Her former employer released a brief statement on the ordeal, stating that he hopes she’s “getting the care she needs.” Her lawyer, however, has maintained her innocence as Greene anticipates a trial over the matter.
“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. Under the law, she is presumed innocent and reserves all of her defenses for presentation in a court of law,” expressed her lawyer, Louis Barbone.
A motive for why she faked the attack remains unknown. However, critics have called her actions harmful, especially in an already-tense political environment.
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