Reports from French Polynesia say the mayor of Fakarava has been detained in Tahiti.
Howard Vairaaroa is being investigated for alleged corruption on the atoll, which used to be a key retreat of a former president, Gaston Flosse.
This comes as another French Polynesian mayor, Cyril Tetuanui, was this week forced to step down after the highest court in France upheld a one-year suspended prison sentence given to him.
He was barred from public office for a year.
His wife, who is a former government minister, Lana Tetuanui, was at the same time given a six-month suspended prison sentence.
The two had used municipal employees in 2002 to have work done on their private residence on the island of Raiatea.