Exactly. You were denied and did not appeal the NOIR. Perhaps you never received the NOIR. Either way, you did not follow correct procedure. I have no idea what, but I expect there's something going on that the US Citizen in this case does not know about.
The key in an NOIR, is that at least to some extent, you'll get a written explanation of why the Consulate denied the visa, so you can address those issues directly. At this point, I agree that competent legal assistance is needed by somebody experienced with dealing with spouse visa cases denied on grounds of fraud. Not BECAUSE there IS any fraud but because, justified or not, suspicion of fraud is the reason for the denials.
