Chunks are loaded with mobs in them although the gamerule says otherwise..
How to reproduce:
Click "create new world"
Click "gamerules"
Click "true" besides "allow mob spawning"
Create the world
Execute /kill @e[type=!minecraft:player] until it says "no entities found" (should say it on the first execute, doesn't due to the bug)
Move and load new chunks
Execute the command again: new mobs generated
Type /gamerule doMobSpawning: it says it is set to false.
Did you move around the world while waiting? If so, does MC-169132 describe your issue?