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A staffer for a GOP Congressman was discovered crying and bound by zip ties in a New Jersey nature preserve with the words 'Trump wh---' written on her stomach and cuts across her face, neck, chest and shoulders.
Natalie Greene, 26, had frantically dialed 911 from a walking trail after she said three men attacked her, one brandishing a firearm, and threatened to shoot her while mentioning her boss's name.
She said the attack took place after she received threats while working at the congressional office for New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew.
But after the FBI questioned her, Greene's dramatic story began to unravel, resulting in the young staffer being charged with making false statements to concoct an elaborate hoax.
She had been found in tears with distinct-looking laceration marks all over her body, bound by her hands, feet and even around her neck with black zip ties.
Greene told an FBI agent that two men grabbed her, pulled up her shirt and restrained her on the ground before tying her up.
One of the men struck her on the head before cutting into her body and 'scraping' her, with the pain so intense she began to scream.
Another attacker claimed he had a gun and threatened to shoot her if she moved, though Greene said she never saw it and only felt something push against her stomach.
That same night, however, police found extra, similar-looking black zip ties in Greene's Maserati.
Federal investigators later discovered that Green's co-conspirator had googled 'zip ties near me' on a cell phone.
After seizing Greene's cell phone, investigators then found a Reddit profile that followed pages that include 'bodymods' and 'scarification.'
Elsewhere on her phone was a location map that took her from a Pennsylvania tattoo parlor/body modification artist and eventually to the nature preserve where she was found by police.
She also went to her co-conspirators home in Ventnor, a Dunkin Donuts in Atlantic City.
In the same town where Greene's ally lived, they found a Dollar General Store that sold the same exact zip ties that had been used on her and found in her car.
The markings, including the one calling her a slur and another saying 'Van Drew racist,' were found to be performed by the artist, who said Greene paid $500 in cash.
Greene, who had spent years as a constituent advocate director for Van Drew, took photos of the exact scars she wanted the artist to execute, complete with patterns for scars and cuts all over her face, neck, upper chest and shoulder.
The artist said that Greene ask questions about how to prevent additional bleeding from the scarification and even took a photo showing her after the body modification process.
Officials also discovered missed calls and voicemails from the artist, telling Greene to contact him on Instagram, as well as consent forms, receipts and a waiver signed by Greene for his studio dated July 28.
US Attorney for New Jersey and Trump appointee Alina Habba charged Greene, a Rutgers Law School student, with one count of conspiracy to convey false statements and hoaxes and one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement.
If found guilty on both charges, Greene faces up to ten years in prison, $500,000 in fines and up to six years of supervised release.
She made her first appearance in federal court on Wednesday and was released on $200,000 unsecured bond.
When The Daily Mail reached out to Van Drew's office, a spokesperson said she is no longer working for the Congressman.
'While Natalie is no longer associated with the congressman's government office, our thoughts and prayers are with her and hope she's getting he care she needs,' Paxton Antonucci said.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Greene and her attorney for comment.
Van Drew, who represents New Jersey's 2nd district, left the Democrats after he vocally opposed the current impeachment investigation into Trump ahead of the upcoming vote.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy blasted Van Drew after word of his decision went public.
'Jeff Van Drew has chosen his political career over our Constitution,' Murphy said, adding that he was 'willing to enable Donald Trump just to try to salvage his own election.'
Trump praised Van Drew on Twitter and said the 66-year-old had 'guts.'
'Wow,' Trump wrote in on tweet, 'that would be big. Always heard Jeff is very smart!'
In another tweet, Trump said: 'Thank you for your honesty Jeff. All of the Democrats know you are right, but unlike you, they don't have the "guts" to say so!'
Van Drew's move has proven successful, as he's retained his seat in Congress in three elections since changing parties.