MONROVIA – The Liberia Independent Elder Council for Peace and Reconciliation has broken its silence with a damning statement calling for the immediate recusal of House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, citing “a cascade of disturbing allegations” that now include a permanent U.S. immigration ban for marriage fraud, bigamy, and the abandonment of a child.
In the release issued today, the Council declared the situation “a full-blown public scandal” that threatens “the sanctity of our republic,” urging President Joseph Boakai and the Legislature to launch an urgent investigation. The crisis escalated dramatically with the emergence of official U.S. government documents, obtained by this publication, which permanently bar Speaker Koon from obtaining legal status in America. A 24-page denial order from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) concludes that Koon’s prior marriage was a sham “entered into solely for immigration purposes,” unmasking a years-long pattern of deception aimed at cheating the U.S. immigration system.
A Tangled Web of Deceit Unravels
The scandal, simmering for weeks, erupted publicly when a woman identifying as Mrs. Cecelia Kpor Koon appeared on the Spoon Talk Show, alleging she was legally married to Speaker Koon in a scheme to secure his U.S. green card. She described him as a “criminal” and demanded his resignation, claiming he later began an extramarital affair, entered a second U.S. marriage without divorcing her, and illegally seized her Liberian properties.
Her allegations are corroborated by the official USCIS denial, which details a labyrinth of lies. The agency found that Koon, while still legally married to his first wife in Liberia, divorced her and, just seven weeks later, married U.S. citizen Cecelia Kpor in Delaware in July 2015. The petition was filed weeks after. Investigators found “only limited evidence of cohabitation,” no financial commingling, and overwhelming evidence that Koon was actually living with another woman, Gifte Faikai, in multiple states. The scheme collapsed in June 2021 when Koon appeared alone for a crucial immigration interview, testifying his “wife” was en route. She never came. USCIS later discovered the couple had secretly divorced in Liberia two months earlier—a fact Koon concealed.
“Permanent Bar” and a Second Fraudulent Marriage
Undeterred by the first denial, Koon allegedly entered into a second marriage with another U.S. citizen, Christiana Tue, in August 2021—while still legally tied to his first immigration marriage. Astonishingly, USCIS records reveal that Tue had written sworn affidavits in 2018 and 2019 attesting to the legitimacy of Koon’s first marriage, while she and Koon were already living together.
The federal agency’s investigation uncovered a web of connections with Gifte Faikai, including shared flights, addresses, and Koon listing her as the mother of his child on a visa application—directly contradicting his own sworn statements. The final judgment is severe: “Since the Beneficiary’s marriage to the first Petitioner was a sham… approval of your visa petition… is barred.” This constitutes a lifetime ban on Koon obtaining U.S. lawful permanent residency.
Shocking Admission from Speaker’s Office
In an attempt at damage control, the Speaker’s own media advisor, V Vehzelee Sumo, confirmed the fraud in a Facebook post, but offered a shocking new narrative: he claimed Cecelia Kpor Koon is actually the Speaker’s biological sister, and the marriage was a purely financial transaction. Sumo alleged Cecelia demanded $35,000 and a portion of the Koon estate in Virginia, Liberia, in exchange for filing immigration papers, and that she forged Koon’s signature on marriage documents. This admission of a fraudulent, potentially incestuous marriage-for-visa scheme has ignited a firestorm of moral and legal questions.
Additional Allegations of Moral Turpitude
The scandal deepens with separate allegations of personal misconduct. During the same broadcast, Verma (Valmon) Walker called in, accusing Speaker Koon of fathering her 11-year-old child and evading child support for a decade, alleging a broken promise of a dedicated bank account.
Further complicating matters, a woman named Doris Irede called from Nigeria, identifying herself as Koon’s biological sister and claiming Cecelia is also a biological sibling from their father’s side—an allegation Cecelia denies. In Liberia, Koon is concurrently facing divorce proceedings from another woman, while publicly parading with a fourth, MacDalla Cooper, who refers to him as her spouse.
Elders Demand Immediate Action, Cite Constitutional Crisis
The Liberia Independent Elder Council, referencing the precedent of Cllr. Ndubusi Nwabudike, whose nomination was invalidated over citizenship questions, stated the allegations “transcend private legal matters” and represent “a direct assault on the credibility of one of the nation’s three highest offices.”
The Council’s solemn demands are:
- The immediate recusal of Speaker Koon.
- A swift, credible investigation by President Boakai and the Legislature into all allegations, including immigration fraud, bigamy, and perjury.
- Unbiased action by the justice system.
“The cloud of suspicion now hanging over the Speaker’s Chair does not merely tarnish one individual; it paralyzes the moral authority of the entire Legislature,” the Elders warned, urging action to “restore sanity, integrity, and public trust.” Speaker Koon, who admitted the removal of his predecessor was “political payback,” has previously urged claimants to “use the courts.” However, with a permanent U.S. fraud ruling on record and his own office admitting to a fraudulent sibling marriage scheme, pressure for his resignation and a criminal investigation is reaching a boiling point in Monrovia.