A woman from Ocean City, New Jersey, has been charged with conspiracy and making false statements after allegedly fabricating a violent attack against herself, according to an announcement by Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba.
Natalie Greene, 26, appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal on November 19, 2025. She was released on a $200,000 unsecured bond with additional conditions set by the court.
Court documents state that late at night on July 23, 2025, Greene’s co-conspirator called 911 claiming that both had been attacked by three men while walking at a nature preserve in Egg Harbor Township. The caller reported that during the alleged assault, the attackers referenced Greene by name and mentioned her employment with a federal official whose identity is known to authorities.
When officers found Greene in a wooded area near the trail, she was bound with black zip ties on her hands and feet. Her shirt was pulled over her head and secured with another zip tie. She had multiple lacerations on her face, neck, upper chest, and shoulder. The words “TRUMP WHORE” were written on her stomach and “[Federal Official 1] IS RACIST” was written on her back. Greene claimed one of the attackers had a gun.
Greene told police that one or more assailants threatened to shoot her and restrained her while inflicting injuries and writing messages on her body. She repeated this account days later to law enforcement officers including an FBI agent.
However, investigators determined there was no attack as described by Greene. Instead, they found she had paid a body modification artist to inflict the wounds based on instructions she provided beforehand. Officers also recovered black zip ties from Greene’s car matching those used at the scene. Additionally, two days before the incident, Greene’s co-conspirator’s cellphone searched for “zip ties near me.”
If convicted of conspiracy or making false statements to law enforcement officials about this incident involving threats against a federal employee—both charges carry maximum penalties of five years in prison each as well as fines up to $250,000 per count and supervised release for three years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), detectives from the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, officers from Egg Harbor Township Police Department and New Jersey State Police as well as Capitol Police agents for their roles in investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Askin and Sara A. Aliabadi are prosecuting the case along with James Donnelly from the Department of Justice National Security Division.
“The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations,” reads part of Habba’s statement; “the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
Defense counsel for Natalie Greene is Louis M. Barbone of Jacobs & Barbone P.A.
