What is the name of Niko Bellic's cousin in Grand Theft Auto IV?

Niko Bellic’s cousin in Grand Theft Auto IV is Roman Bellic. Roman is Niko’s first major contact in Liberty City and the person who persuades him to leave Europe for America.

Roman tells Niko that he has achieved the American Dream, surrounded by wealth, luxury, and beautiful women. When Niko arrives in 2008, he discovers that Roman’s stories were exaggerated. Roman actually runs a struggling taxi business in Broker, lives modestly, and owes money to several dangerous criminals because of gambling and other debts.

Roman’s problems give Niko an immediate reason to become involved in Liberty City’s criminal underworld. Niko protects him from loan sharks, Russian gangsters, and other threats while taking jobs for increasingly powerful figures. Their relationship mixes genuine family loyalty with frustration, because Roman’s optimism and reckless behavior repeatedly draw them into danger.

Players may confuse Roman with Little Jacob or Brucie Kibbutz, both of whom become important friends of Niko. Vlad Glebov is another early contact, but he is Roman’s creditor and antagonist—not his cousin. Roman also provides the game’s recurring taxi friendship activity.