YouTuber Cody Detwiler (better known online as WhistlinDiesel) was arrested Wednesday on charges that he evaded sales tax when purchasing a 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo.
According to an indictment filed in Williamson County Circuit Court in Tennessee, the charge alleges Detwiler “did unlawfully and willfully attempt … to evade or defeat any tax due the State of Tennessee in an amount of five hundred dollars ($500) or more, to-wit: sales tax due on the purchase of a 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo.”
The Ferrari in question previously caught fire during a stunt: as part of a video, it was driven through a cornfield (while wearing Montana license plates) and ultimately burned to a crisp. Detwiler had even tweeted earlier that year he purchased the car “just to destroy it,” posting footage of the vehicle being used to “feed farm animals, go fishing, and make sensitive people upset.”
According to records, that Montana plate may have been a factor: some supercar owners register vehicles in Montana because the state doesn’t collect sales tax — which raises questions about the circumstances of this car’s registration.
Detwiler’s mugshot circulated online following his booking. He has since posted to social media showing himself in handcuffs, with a caption reading “Won so big they thought I was cheating. (100% real not AI).” He is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, November 19.