Woman who worked for congressman accused of faking politically motivated attack

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EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) — A former staffer for a Republican congressman claimed she was attacked by three armed men who tied her up, slashed her and scrawled an anti-Trump statement on her stomach, according to authorities. But federal prosecutors are now accusing her of making the whole thing up and staging the bloody scene, including hiring someone to cut her skin.

The 26-year-old woman, who worked for U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, of New Jersey, made her initial court appearance Wednesday on charges that she conspired to perpetrate a hoax and made false statements to federal law enforcement.

The woman and a friend staged the fake attack July 23 at a nature preserve in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, according to the U.S. attorney's office. The friend called 911 saying the attackers had a gun, knew the woman's name and that she worked for Van Drew, a strong supporter of President Donald Trump.

“They were attacking her. They were like talking about politics and stuff. They were like calling her names,” the friend told the 911 dispatcher, according to a transcript of the call included in court records.

Responding police found the woman lying in a wooded area with her shirt pulled over her head and her hands and feet zip tied, according to prosecutors. She had several cuts on her face, neck, chest and shoulder, while slogans criticizing Trump and Van Drew were written with black marker on her stomach and back.

The woman later repeated her claims about the attack while being interviewed by police and FBI agents, according to prosecutors. But authorities allege the story soon started to unravel when they searched the woman's Maserati and found zip ties and duct tape inside.

A search of her cellphone found she was following communities on Reddit for “bodymods” and “scarification" and had obtained directions to the studio of a body-modification artist in Pennsylvania, federal authorities said in a court filing.

The artist at the studio showed investigators messages from the woman requesting specific scar patterns on her body. Photos from after the procedure matched the lacerations she had when she was found in the woods, prosecutors said.

A statement issued by Van Drew's office said he was “deeply saddened” about the incident and said their “thoughts and prayers” were with the woman, adding “we hope she’s getting the care she needs.” His office did not immediately respond Thursday to questions on whether she was still working for the congressman at the time of the incident.

Louis Barbone, a lawyer representing the woman, noted that under the law she is presumed innocent.

“At the age of 26, my client served her community working full time to serve the constituents of the Congressman with loyalty and fidelity. She did that while being a fulltime student," Barbone added in a statement.

The woman was freed from federal custody after her court appearance on a $200,000 bond.