Key Case Highlights
Seizure and Charges
Nearly ten days ago, content creator WhistlinDiesel, Cody Detweiler, was arrested and charged with tax evasion. Initially, it was unclear if this was related to his long-burned Ferrari F8 Tributo. Now, Detweiler confirms that this specific car was the reason for his arrest.
He appears resolutely determined to confront the Tennessee authorities. Instead of allowing them to make an example of him, he is trying to turn the tables himself.
The Essence of the Charges
The state prosecution claims that Detweiler and his company, WhistlinDiesel LLC, evaded paying state sales tax by registering the $400,000 Ferrari under a legal entity in Montana instead of paying the tax in Tennessee. Detweiler notes that if he had registered the car in the southern state, he would have had to pay approximately $30,000 in taxes.
He also insists that the Ferrari burned down in Texas, was transported through several states, and was legally registered in Montana.
In a YouTube video titled “I Got Arrested For ‘Tax Evasion'” Detweiler details the arrest, showing how officers approached his house before handcuffing him.
He says he initially thought it was a joke, but then they showed him the documents. Detweiler added that he had “no idea” what the warrant was for and never received any prior notice—no letter, no call, no email, no text message—demanding tax payment or explaining the tax dispute.
Lack of Prior Notice
Detweiler also refuted early rumors of a $2 million bail, clarifying that the actual amount was $20,000. He describes his time in jail as unexpectedly calm and jokes that some staff recognized him from his videos. He claims he would have been willing to discuss payment if the state had contacted him before the arrest.
Instead, he is convinced that Tennessee is trying to make an example of him. “They want to create a wave because they know there will be videos… and why wouldn’t this scare people into re-registering their vehicles and paying all that sales tax?” he asks, before adding: “I won’t put up with this.”
Future Plans
What does he mean? First, he is moving out of the state and advises others to do the same. “I can’t stress this enough: if you live in Tennessee… buy property in Montana. It’s a great place to live. I’m buying land there.”
Furthermore, he seems quite prepared to drag out this legal process, noting that the next court date is not until January. While he didn’t go into details about his strategy, it seems that Tennessee may have taken on a case that is more complex than anticipated. Time will tell.
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Author: WhistlinDiesel
This story highlights the complexity of regulating vehicle taxes, especially when owners utilize legislative peculiarities of different states. Similar cases can have a significant impact on the automotive community as legislators tighten control over such schemes. Detweiler’s activities and his public response may stimulate broad discussion about the balance between legal tax optimization methods and their ethical consequences.