A former aide to a senior US politician has been charged for allegedly staging her own violent assault, for which she paid someone $US500 ($775) to slice dozens of cuts into her body, according to prosecutors.

Natalie Greene, who once worked for Republican congress member Jeff Van Drew, according to his office, is now facing charges of conspiracy and making false statements to law enforcement.

The US Justice Department alleges that on the night of July 23, Greene's co-conspirator - a woman who was not named in the criminal complaint - called 911 to report that she and Greene were attacked by three men in the north-eastern US state of New Jersey.

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The co-conspirator claimed that the attackers referred to Greene by name and knew

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