Tensions behind the scenes came to the fore this month when Mr. Hapgood failed to appear at a court hearing in Anguilla, citing concerns for his safety and the possibility that his bail could be revoked.

Image Kenny Mitchel, left, with his former girlfriend Emily Garlick. Credit...

“This was a very difficult decision for the family to make,” Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said in an interview. “They had to assess all the personal risks and uncertainties.” He and other lawmakers, including Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, signed a letter to the State Department on Nov. 4 to express concern about the case.

Mr. Hapgood’s refusal to attend the hearing was immediately criticized by officials in Anguilla, with its attorney general, premier and governor all speaking out.

The governor, Tim Foy, called Mr. Hapgood’s concerns for his safety “groundless.”

“I invite those making or repeating these fabrications — including those in public office — to acquaint themselves with the facts by visiting us,” Mr. Foy said in a statement, praising the island’s “peace, serenity and calm.”

The attorney general in Anguilla, Dwight D. Horsford, said in a statement that his office was seeking a warrant for Mr. Hapgood’s arrest and would circulate it through Interpol , the international police organization, which would effectively make him a wanted man in much of the world. The status of that development, and the likelihood of an international warrant, were unclear this week.