WhistlinDiesel claims tax evasion arrest is over Montana Ferrari purchase

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WhistlinDiesel, a popular YouTuber, recently explained his arrest for tax evasion in a new video. He says the issue stems from unpaid sales tax on a Ferrari he originally registered in Montana, which was later totaled in a fire.

Cody Detwiler claims he’s always paid his taxes and wasn’t warned before being arrested at his Tennessee home. He was arrested on November 12th in Williamson County, Tennessee, following an indictment alleging that he and his company, WhistlinDiesel LLC, avoided paying Tennessee sales tax on a 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo by registering the vehicle in Montana instead of Tennessee.

According to several news sources, he’s been charged with two serious crimes and could owe tens of thousands of dollars in back taxes – records suggest around $28,000. He was briefly held at the Williamson County Jail but was released after paying bail.

Whistlindiesel offers “tax evasion” case update

In his video, “I Got Arrested for ‘Tax Evasion,’” Detwiler shares footage of his arrest, showing officers approaching his home and handcuffing him. He initially believed it was a joke until they presented documents related to tax evasion, and he admits he had no idea what the warrant was about.

Detwiler says he hadn’t received any notification – not a letter, text, or email – about owing taxes. He only found out about the issue a few days later.

According to Detwiler, his bail was set at $20,000. He pointed out that claims circulating online about a $2 million bail amount were misleading because they lacked important details. He shared that he spent several hours in jail before being released, and was given his own cell. He even joked that the jail wasn’t as bad as he’d imagined, and mentioned that some of the staff recognized him from his videos.

Says case centers on Ferrari that burned in Texas

The legal issue, as explained by Detwiler, centers on sales tax related to a $400,000 Ferrari F8. The car was originally registered to a Montana company and was destroyed by fire in Texas while being used in a video stunt.

He estimates Tennessee would have collected about $30,000 in sales tax on the vehicle, and points out that many luxury car owners legally use Montana-based companies to register their cars.

Mr. Detwiler states that Tennessee officials never asked him for payment before deciding to pursue legal charges. He believes a simple letter requesting sales tax would have been the easiest solution, and maintains he’s consistently fulfilled his federal and state tax responsibilities with the help of his accountant.

He also mentioned his lawyers are requesting the state define how long a vehicle registered in Montana needs to be present in Tennessee before Tennessee sales tax applies.

The creator believes he’s being singled out to intimidate other luxury car owners who register their vehicles in Montana. He thinks officials are trying to scare people into registering their cars and paying sales tax in their actual home states. He also mentioned he’s currently buying property in Montana and intends to move his business there.

Detwiler expects to be back in court in January and believes the case could last for several years, similar to a past legal dispute he was involved in. He won’t share details about his legal approach, but he will continue to update his audience on how things are going.

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2025-11-23 20:19