In late July, Natalie Greene, a former aide for Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), reported that she had been attacked.
Police arrived to find Greene bound with zip ties, her shirt pulled over her head, cuts all over her body, and two different inscriptions on her body that were made with black marker.
We were all horrified… but it now appears as though Greene's story was all a hoax.
Local police in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, were called by a person who was allegedly with Greene when the “attack” took place.
Police found Greene in a wooded area in a nature preserve, bound with ties and her body mutilated.
Greene told the officers that the man who attacked her had a gun.
The words “Trump Whore” and “Van Drew’ is Racist” were written on her body in black marker.
The story started to fall apart as Greene’s explanation grew muddled, and the story she told did not match the one provided by her companion.
The investigation found that Greene had paid a body modification artist to cut her with a scalpel in a design she provided.
Police also found black zip ties matching the ties used against Greene during a search of her car.
Additionally, in combing through the phone history of her accomplice, they found “zip ties near me” in the search history.
Greene has now been charged with faking a political attack, with a maximum penalty of five years and a $250,000 fine.
Van Drew’s office responded to the news, "We are deeply saddened by today’s news, and while Natalie is no longer associated with the Congressman’s government office, our thoughts and prayers are with her. We hope she’s getting the care she needs.”
I just cannot imagine what would drive someone to the point of faking an attack like this, other than a severe mental compulsion to seek attention. And then, of course, there is also the accomplice who decided to go along with the entire scheme.
I am not sure what Greene had hoped to accomplish with this stunt, but in addition to likely going to jail, she will now have a permanent reminder of her failed plot in the form of scars all over her face, neck, arms, and torso.
