In 2007 he was convicted on the first of a long series of corruption charges stemming from his time as mayor of Mahina and as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications.

[3] Aia Api subsequently formed a coalition with Gaston Flosse's Tahoeraa Huiraatira, and Vernaudon was elected President of the Assembly.

[4] The coalition collapsed in September 1982, after Vernaudon contested the by-election for the French National Assembly against Flosse's candidate.

In September 2004 he was convicted of illegal profit-taking, fined USD30,000 and given a suspended sentence of 12 months imprisonment for diverting public resources to benefit his family and girlfriend.

[19][20] In March 2007 he was convicted of corruption in the Tautira land affair, given an 18 month suspended prison sentence, and declared ineligible for public office for five years.

[22] On 4 December 2007 Vernaudon was remanded in custody on corruption charges relating to his management of the Office of Posts and Telecommunications.

[23][24] As a result of his detention he was unable to campaign in the 2008 territorial elections, and his place on the To Tatou Ai'a was taken by his partner Heifara Izal.

[27] In December 2008 the French court of cassation upheld his sentence of ineligibility in the Tautira case, and he was removed from office as mayor.

[36] In December 2016 he was convicted of corruption again and sentenced to another year in prison for giving a contract for Mahina's green waste to a friend.