Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On April 8, 2026, two defendants were ordered to appear before the American Samoa District Court regarding a case involving alleged bigamy and the submission of false Affidavits for Marriage License following a complaint filed with the Office of Vital Statistics (OVS).

The defendants/ suspects, Kiripele Europa and Jeannie Nansen were later charged with:

Count 1 & 4: Bigamy, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine not more than $1,000, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2, 3, 5 & 6: Making a False Affidavit, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine not more than $1,000, or both.

There was no bail indicated in the affidavit.

The affidavit in Support of the Criminal Complaint filed in the District Court identified it as being executed by a special agent, employed by the local Department of Homeland Security (ASDHS), and currently assigned to the DHS' Office of Territorial and International Criminal Intelligence and Drug Enforcement (OTICIDE).

According to the court affidavit, the investigation began on January 12, 2026, after OVS officials received a report from a Statistics Office administrator regarding potentially fraudulent marriage documentation. The complaint alleged that one of the parties involved had previously been married and had not legally dissolved that marriage before entering into a second marriage.

In addition, both parties to the second marriage were accused of knowingly providing false information in official affidavits required to obtain a marriage license, which, if proven, constitutes a criminal offense.

Investigators reported that the first marriage legally happened in 1999 and remained in effect. Despite attempts to initiate a divorce in late 2025, records indicate that no court proceedings had been completed to officially dissolve the first marriage.

The investigation revealed that the first spouse did sign the documents intended to begin the divorce process, after her husband presented her with them, but these documents were never finalized through the court system because the she never appeared in court to facilitate the divorce.

In January 2026, the first spouse allegedly received information that there were photos on social media that showed her husband marrying another woman in a wedding ceremony at a church. This prompted her to visit OVS to confirm purported marriage and to file a complaint against her husband for alleged bigamy.

Interviews were conducted by authorities at the DHS compound of the husband (suspect #1) and his alleged second wife (suspect #2). The were both Mirandized.

INTERVIEWS

The interview with the husband revealed that he had separated from his first wife several years prior, due to a personal relationship with suspect #2.

In December 2025, the husband executed an affidavit required for the marriage license, falsely declaring that he had never been married and was single — despite still being married. In the same month, he subsequently got married in church to suspect #2.

In the interview with suspect #2, it was revealed that both suspects began dating in July 2018, and in November 2025 they intended to get married but it was delayed by the passing of their faifeau/ officiant. However, they eventually did marry in December after they completed the marriage license application and executed the Affidavit for Marriage.

Suspect #2 acknowledged knowing that suspect #1 was still married when they married.

She also admitted that she lied on the Affidavit for Marriage License — specifically that she "was never married" and was "single" despite being a widow.

REVIEW OF OVS RECORDS

A review of OVS documents of the matter found:

a.    The application for a Marriage License by suspect #1 and his first wife (victim) was dated October 20, 1999; a marriage license was issued on the same day; and, a Certificate of Marriage for the two was issued on November 24, 1999.

b.    The application for a Marriage License by the suspects was dated December 3, 2025; a marriage license and Affidavits for Marriage License of suspects were issued on the same day; and, a Certificate of Marriage for the two was issued on December 27, 2025.

According to the affidavit, DHS records and interviews were deemed enough to establish probable cause to arrest SUSPECT #1 — Kiripele F. Europa, for committing the crimes of Bigamy and Making a False Affidavit and SUSPECT #2 — Jeannie Nansen, for committing the crimes of Bigamy and Making a False Affidavit.

Both suspects are citizens of Samoa.

The affidavit was filed in the District Court on March 12, 2026.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision. Under local law, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the court.]