Ex-Van Drew Staffer Charged in Elaborate Assault Hoax

An Ocean City woman who had been a constituent advocate director for U.S. Jeff Van Drew was named as a suspect in an apparent hoax that suggested she was the victim of an assault in Egg Harbor Township. According to an article published by Breaking AC, Natalie Greene, 26, was found bound in a wooded area in the nature reserve off Zion Road in Egg Harbor Township. Greene had her hands and feet bound with plastic zip ties, with her shirt pulled over her head, and she had cuts on her face, neck, upper chest and shoulder, the article said.

Greene, when found by police on July 23, told the police she and a companion were attacked by three men while walking the trail at the reserve. The three men allegedly called Greene by name and mentioned her job working with the congressman, the article said. The companion called 911 to report the incident and said the men were calling her “racist” and other names. The Herald requested comment from Van Drew’s office, which responded with the same statement it provided to Breaking AC: “We are deeply saddened by yesterday’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.”

“We are deeply saddened by yesterday’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.”

Summary: The report indicates the alleged assault was linked to Greene’s role as a constituent advocate to Van Drew, but the details later suggested it may have been a hoax, and the office statement reflects the separation from her former position.

Author’s note: This depiction preserves the stated facts and quotes while condensing the sequence of events into a clear narrative, with mindful care to avoid repeating the same details across sections.

Cape May County Herald — 2025-11-21

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