YouTuber Cody Detwiler, better known as WhistlinDiesel, is speaking out again following his recent arrest on felony tax evasion charges. This time, he’s offering a more pointed explanation regarding the situation.
The 27-year-old was arrested on November 12 in Williamson County, Tennessee, in connection with sales tax allegedly owed on a 2020 Ferrari F8. The car had previously made headlines after it went up in flames during one of Detwiler’s viral stunt videos.
According to Detwiler, the charges stem from registering that Ferrari in Montana—a move he claims is common among luxury car owners and completely legal.
**‘This Entire Thing’**
In a series of Instagram Stories, the influencer expressed his belief that Tennessee officials are targeting him to send a message to others in the high-end car community.
“This entire thing is about registering my Ferrari F8 in Montana (the car that burned down),” he wrote. “Montana doesn’t require sales tax on vehicles.”
Detwiler claims the state is now trying to frame this move as criminal. “They have an angle that this is tax evasion,” he said, warning his followers: “Do not move your Montana registrations to TN. This is exactly what they want and why they are trying to go after me.”
**‘They Think It’ll Make a Wave’**
The YouTube star, who has more than 10 million subscribers, says authorities are trying to make an example out of him in order to crack down on similar registration tactics.
“They think it will make a wave through the luxury car community and bring in tax money,” he claimed.
Detwiler has maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal and said he received no notice before the arrest. He also confirmed that he spent several hours in jail before posting bond. His first court appearance is scheduled for November 19.
**Viral Cars, Court Dates & ‘100% Real’ Charges**
The Ferrari in question appeared in a now-viral YouTube video, where Detwiler drove it through a cornfield before it caught fire, along with a nearby rental van.
“There goes half a million dollars,” he joked in the video. “I guess don’t drive in cornfields.”
A caption on the video read, “Won so big they thought I was cheating. (100% real, not AI).” In a follow-up post, Detwiler stated: “I have ALWAYS paid ALL of my taxes, and I’m still not sure what this is all for. I didn’t get a notice of any sort leading up to this.”
For now, he says he plans to keep fans updated as the case moves forward.
https://theboot.com/ixp/204/p/whistlindiesel-explains-tax-evasion-charges-insists-targeted/