A young officer who was arrested with a disgraced Winnipeg police constable for stealing cash and other items they thought were evidence during a 2024 “integrity test” has entered a guilty plea. Matthew Kadyniuk, 34, confessed to breach of trust and theft under $5,000 in a Winnipeg court on Friday. This came after Elston Bostock, his co-accused, pleaded guilty to multiple offenses following years of criminal activities.
The incident stemmed from an internal probe into Bostock’s misconduct that began in April 2024, prompted by reports from confidential sources alleging his involvement in illicit activities and sharing police information with outsiders. In September 2024, police were authorized to set up the officers and secretly record them during what they believed was a response to a vehicle break-in on October 17, 2024.
Kadyniuk, currently on suspension without pay from the Winnipeg Police Service, disclosed his employment status during the court proceedings. His defense attorney indicated that the prosecution might seek a community sentence of up to two years less a day, while they plan to request a suspended sentence for Kadyniuk at a later hearing.
During the staged incident that led to their arrests, an undercover RCMP officer posed as a victim and engaged Kadyniuk and Bostock. The pair were recorded taking items from a backpack and discussing the contents, including cash and cigarettes. They later used the stolen money to pay for breakfast at a restaurant and returned some items to the backpack after suspecting it was part of an integrity test.
Both Kadyniuk and Bostock were apprehended in November 2024, with Kadyniuk serving for two years on the force and Bostock for over two decades. Bostock has since been ousted from the police department, while two other officers are also facing charges related to their interactions with Bostock.
Investigations revealed missing items from the seized backpack, leading to further discoveries during searches at Bostock’s residence. The case against the officers involved in the misconduct remains ongoing in court.