YouTube star Cody Detwiler was recently arrested for tax evasion after allegedly buying and destroying a $400,000 Ferrari in a video that garnered over 16 million views
13:36 ET, 16 Nov 2025Updated 13:37 ET, 16 Nov 2025
Cody Dewiler was arrested for allegedly evading taxes on the luxury vehicle
YouTuber Cody Detwiler, who boasts over 10 million subscribers, was arrested earlier this month after allegedly evading taxes on a red $400,000 Ferrari that he supposedly set on fire for content.
The 27-year-old reportedly bought the 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo in 2023 and used the car for a “durability test” on his channel WhistlinDiesel, which resulted in the car being totally destroyed. He has been charged with ‘unlawfully and willfully’ evading ‘tax due to the State of Tennessee in an amount of five hundred dollars ($500) or more,’ according to court documents.
Cody has been discussing the arrest on social media, sharing photos and videos from the arrest, claiming, “They didn’t explain why or how or when, and I still don’t know.”
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The content creator shared a post that included his mugshot and photos of him being taken away in handcuffs by police along with the caption, “Won so big they thought I was cheating. (100% real not AI).” The caption refers to a previous video he made in 2022, where he staged his arrest with the help of a Georgia Sheriff’s office.
He also posted a video of himself being escorted by police during his arrest with a lengthy caption that read, in part, “Yes, I was arrested and it’s 100% real. 6 cops showed up at my door and said they had a warrant for ‘Tax Evasion.’ They didn’t explain why or how or when, and I still don’t know.”
Cody was released after posting a $20,000 bail
The caption continued, “After the cops squeezing the handcuffs super tight I got taken to jail and spent a few hours there until my team bailed me out. I got a cell and everything. 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. There is a court date set and I will give active updates.”
If found guilty of the Class E felony, Cody faces up to six years in prison and a fine of $3,000. The Ferrari in question had a Montana license plate. Montana has no sales tax on vehicles, creating a money-saving loophole for luxury car buyers. In Tennessee, where Cody lives, the sales tax is around 7 to 10 percent, which means that he would have had to pay around $40,000 in addition to the vehicle’s six-figure price tag.
It has not been confirmed that the out-of-state registration is related to the tax evasion charges. Additionally, the court documents include the Ferrari, but do not mention the videos of it being destroyed.
Videos of the car being destroyed have millions of views
In the first video featuring the high end sports car, which has over 7 million views, Cody drifts on dirt roads, saws one of the mirror off, drives around with a capybara in the car with him, and throws watermelons and rocks at the windows in a series of ‘durability tests.’
In the second video, he speeds through a cornfield, and the luxury vehicle is set ablaze when dry corn husks get stuck in the wheels and engine while the YouTuber is driving. He and his passenger exit the vehicle as the fire quickly engulfs the car and spreads to a rental van parked nearby, destroying both vehicles. The video has racked up over 16 million views.
It’s unclear whether the destruction of the Ferrari is part of the tax evasion charges as the videos are not included in court filings.
The Mirror US has reached out to Cody for comment.
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